If you’re afraid to cook with anchovies, let us reassure you: anchovies only function as a spice, not unlike parmesan cheese. You don’t have to be concerned about fishy taste at all, the characteristic taste and the saltiness of anchovies will serve as a base for your tomato sauce.
Ingredients (for 4):
- 300 g macaroni
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 4-5 pcs of anchovies (canned in oil)
- 1 red chili
- 250 g cherry tomatoes
- 350 ml tomato purée
- 100 ml water
- 15 pcs black olives
- 50 g parmesan
- A bunch of sprigs of fresh basil
- 200 g mozzarella
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
How to prepare:
Cook the macaroni in lightly salted water, then strain them. Start sautéing the garlic in the olive oil, then add the anchovies. After sautéing them for 2 minutes, add the sliced chili and halved cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then sauté everything for an additional 3 minutes. Pour in the tomato purée and water, throw in the sliced olives, then bring the whole thing to a simmer, and keep it there for 10 more minutes.
Grate in half of your parmesan, and sprinkle in some finely chopped basil leaves. Put some oil in a smaller pan, then mix your macaroni and sauce together, and dump them into the pan. Grate the rest of your parmesan over the macaroni, and place your mozzarella pieces on top. Bake it in a pre-heated oven (200 °C = 392 °F) until the cheese on top browns a little. Serve it with some extra glugs of olive oil on top of it.
