Anchovy Breadcrumb Spaghetti

Anchovy Breadcrumb Spaghetti

Anchovies. Along with avocados, tomatoes, asparagus, olives, prawns, marmite, facon, cheese, oranges, garlic, toast, squid, potato salad, humous, peanut butter, roasted peppers, gherkins, cashews, mustard, pasta, eggs, butter beans, smoked salmon and beer, anchovies are my favourite food.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Skill level: Easy
Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • spaghetti – enough for 2 people
  • anchovies in olive oil – tin – 50g
  • breadcrumbs – 125g
  • caper paste – small squeeze
  • lemon juice – half a juicy lemon
  • garlic – 3 cloves – crushed
  • olive oil – 100ml

Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water.

Meanwhile heat half the oil in a small frying pan, add the garlic, caper paste and anchovies (including oil) and gently fry for 5 minutes by which time anchovies will have ‘melted’.

Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on a baking tray, pour over the anchovy mixture, mix together and place under a hot grill for a few minutes until the breadcrumbs are toasted.

While all this is going on, mix together the remaining oil with the lemon juice and season to taste.

Drain the pasta and pour over lemon juice mixture. Serve up and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs.

Verdict: A salty, fishy, crunchy treat. There’s no reason why the breadcrumbs couldn’t be sprinkled over another pasta sauce as a substitute for Parmesan.

Drink: Preceded by a Sunday afternoon pub gathering with friends, so about 20 units.

Entertainment: ‘I’m a Celebrity, etc’ – along with ‘The World’s Strongest Man’ this is a compulsive piece of annual viewing.

2 Comments

  1. Hello R&D. I was aghasp when I read through all those foods under the recipe title, as I thought they were the actual ingredients for this dish! Thanks for the crunchy munchy recipe. Although I was also taken back at the use of caper paste, which I can’t recall seeing used before. Usually you find anchovy paste listed in such recipes which is a culinary sin to me. Only the real thing will do.

  2. Hi ChovyChap, I suppose if I combined all my favourite foods in one bowl then the resulting slop should be the tastiest thing I’ve ever had. In theory.

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