Canned Anchovy Pasta with Capers, Red Pepper Flakes, and Lemon

SERVES 4 

I eat this pasta twice a week and never get bored of it. Instead of giving the dish a fishy taste, the fatty anchovies melt into the sauce and give it a salty umami note that becomes hard to place, but who cares because it’s damn delicious. The briny capers, tart lemon, and sweet tomatoes round the whole thing out, along with the red pepper flakes, which leave a subtle spicy finish. It’s downright crave-worthy.

INGREDIENTS 

Good Catch: A Guide to Sustainable Fish and Seafood With Recipes From The World's Oceans Valentine Thomas

• Kosher salt

• 1 (16-ounce) box dried spaghetti

• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon drained capers

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 (2-ounce) can anchovies

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

DIRECTIONS 

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta to the water and cook until just shy of al dente (usually a few minutes before the directions on the package say). Drain and set aside. 

2. While the pasta is cooking, cut the stems off the bunch of parsley. Roughly chop the stems and mince the leaves, keeping them separate. 

3. In a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, chopped parsley stems, capers, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the parsley stems are just about tender, about 4 minutes. Add the anchovies to the pan, then cook until the anchovies have fully dissolved into the sauce, about 4 minutes. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice along with the cherry tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté for about 5 minutes.

4. Using tongs, transfer the pasta to the sauté pan and toss with the sauce until well coated.

5. Garnish the pasta with the minced parsley and serve.

Excerpted with permission from Good Catch: A Guide to Sustainable Fish and Seafood with Recipes from the World's Oceans - A Cookbook Copyright © 2023 by Valentine Thomas. (‎Union Square & Co., May 2023).

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