my anchovy pasta

Ever since my acquaintance with Greyhound Cafe's Thai Anchovy Spaghetti some 2 years ago, I've been meaning to re-create it in my kitchen. Of course, procrastination got the better of me. However, since I've got so much time on my hands now (and I'm hungry and the household chef is out), I will now make this for lunch!

First, a little introduction to anchovy. From BigOven.com,

"Anchovies are very small, silver fish native to the Mediterranean Sea and the coastlines along southern Europe. Though their sharp taste has earned them a widely negative reputation, many people enjoy anchovies without even knowing it. Anchovies, used sparingly, are often that little, unrecognizable “something extra” behind favorite recipes."


Anchovies in olive oil

Anchovies are mostly used in Italian cooking and in Ceasar salad dressing. There's a distinctive taste to anchovies that is hard to put words to, and smelly is the other way I would describe it. You have to give it a taste to know what I mean. Used sparingly in cooking, it gives the dish a magnificent flavour that's hard to forget.

Anchovy Pasta



Some pasta
Chilli flakes (dried whole chilli preferable)
10-15 peppercorns, crushed
5-6 anchovy fillets
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ripe tomato, diced
A couple of thai basil leaves
Olive oil

1. Boil pasta in a pot of water with some oil and salt until al dente. Drain water and leave it aside to cool.

2. Heat some olive oil in a pan/wok and add chilli. If you like it spicy then just use more chilli.

3. When the oil mixture is slightly smoky, stir in the peppercorns. Fry for a minute or two until fragrant.

4. Lower the fire slightly and add garlic and anchovies, stirring until anchovies began to dissolve in the oil. Fry a little while and add thai basil, then diced tomatoes.

5. Stir fry the mixture until tomatoes turn soft and pulpy. You should have a sauce-like mixture.

6. Add pasta and stir fry well until the juices dry up.

7. Eat! I like mine with a little parmesan shavings.

Note: Recipe serves one.

Note 2: BTW, it doesn't taste like the real thing... dunno what's missing. Otherwise, it's very edible la.