This is a classic Italian dish with more renditions and customizations than a show car. It’s always delicious, easy and quick to make. The ingredients are cheap, readily available and shelf stable. I think of it as an Italian “pantry cleaner” dish.
The key elements are to use “good” olive oil, freshly grated cheese and anchovies in oil. If you have all 3 your pasta dish will be amazing.
My version includes:
Angel hair pasta
Good extra virgin olive oil
Crushed red pepper
Anchovies filet- chopped
Handful of freshly chopped parsley
3 toes garlic sliced and minced
Capers drained and rinsed
Diced medium sized tomato
3/4 cup fresh grated parmigiana
Salt
Pepper
To start off slowly heat 1/2 cup of olive oil in a pan with the anchovies, until they are broken down
Add in the capers and let them cook for a few minutes
— start heating your well salted pasta water—
Add in the garlic, tomato, parsley and red pepper
Cook until the tomato starts to break down
—adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and add pasta (I use angel hair) to water—
Drop heat to a simmer until pasta is Al dente
Add Al dente pasta to Pan, raise heat and add a few ladles of pasta water to pan.
Cook until pasta is at desired texture and kill heat
Add the cheese and incorporate until you have a creamy texture
Serve on plate garnished with parmigiana and parsley