Mediterranean Penne with Anchovies, Olives and Capers

Method9 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel the garlic (1), finely chop the anchovy fillets (40 g), slice the pitted olives, rinse the salted capers (20 g) thoroughly and wash and chop the single handful of parsley. Hold anchovies, olives, capers and parsley for their separate additions. Heat all four tablespoons olive oil in a deep sauté pan and sauté the whole peeled garlic clove until lightly brown.

   Uses 4 tablespoons olive oil · 1 garlic clove · 40 g anchovy fillets, chopped for step 2 · 100 g pitted mixed olives, sliced for step 4 · 20 g salted capers, rinsed for step 6 · 1 handful fresh parsley, washed and chopped

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Stir all the prepared chopped anchovies into the garlic oil and let them gradually melt into it.

   Uses The warmed oil with its lightly browned garlic · All 40 g anchovies chopped during preparation

   
3. 3

   Step 3: If using the optional teaspoon of peperoncino flakes, add them to the anchovy oil now and cook only a few seconds, taking care not to burn them. Otherwise proceed directly to the tomatoes.

   Uses The infused oil after anchovies melt · Optional 1 teaspoon chili flakes

4. 4

   Step 4: Stir all 100 g passata and all the prepared olives into the infused oil. Taste before adding sauce salt and add a pinch of black pepper. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Start pasta cooking in step 5 while it simmers and add the held capers/parsley near the end as step 6 describes.

   Simmer sauce · 20 minUses The cooked oil base, with optional chili added in step 3 · 100 g passata · All 100 g prepared olives · Salt for sauce only to taste; anchovies, olives and capers already provide salt · A pinch of black pepper, to taste

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add pasta-water salt. Cook all 400 g penne for slightly less than the actual packet time, until almost al dente, because they will finish for another 1–2 minutes in the sauce. Time this alongside the sauce so the pasta is ready when it finishes.

   Uses Water for cooking penne, as needed · Salt for pasta water, as needed · 400 g dried penne

6. 6

   Step 6: Near the end of the sauce’s 20-minute simmer, stir in all the prepared rinsed capers and chopped parsley. The total simmer is still about 20 minutes, not another 20-minute stage.

   Uses The sauce near the end of its 20-minute simmer · All 20 g capers actually rinsed earlier · The single prepared handful

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the actual penne cooking water. Drain the almost-al-dente pasta and add it directly to the complete sauce.

   Uses All the nearly cooked penne · All the sauce with capers and parsley

8. 8

   Step 8: Cook the pasta in the sauce for another 1–2 minutes until al dente, adding some of the actual reserved cup only if the sauce needs loosening. The author used about one third cup, but the amount depends on consistency. Turn off the heat when the pasta is tender and coated.

   Finish penne in sauce · 2 minUses All the pasta and sauce · Some of the actual retained 1 cup only as needed; author used about one third cup, varying with consistency

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Divide into four bowls and serve. If desired, grate the optional Parmigiano over the servings; omit it for the dairy-free version. The source vegan variation must omit anchovies as well as animal-rennet cheese.

   Uses All the al-dente pasta and sauce · Optional Parmigiano, grated now for serving