Pantry Tomato Pasta.

I don’t like to use the words “pantry” or “staples” in recipe names because everyone has different ideas about what foods they keep stocked in their kitchen. But this recipe is different. The ingredients used in this pasta are ingredients you should always have on hand. The method for this dish is simple and effective. Essentially, you want to concentrate all the ingredients to make a thick, salty, flavorful sauce. Then you add cooked pasta and starchy pasta water to loosen up the tomato sauce and create a silky texture that coats each noodle. This dish is made at least once a week at my house because of its delicious flavor and easy nature. It is miles ahead of store-bought pasta sauce and satisfies even the hangriest cravings for pasta.

Serves 4
Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, 2 minced and 1 grated

Crushed red pepper flakes

4 anchovy fillets*

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 28 oz can tomatoes, preferably crushed

12 oz bucatini or spaghetti (16 oz will work too)

1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until onion is completely cooked through but not browned, 10-12 minutes. Add anchovies and stir until they have melted into the pan, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and cook until it sticks to the bottom of the pan and turns a dark red color, about 1 minute.

2. Add the can of tomatoes scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened, about 15-20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted boiling water. When pasta is al dente, use tongs to transfer pasta to the tomato sauce and add ½ cup of pasta water. Over medium-high heat toss the pasta to coat each noodle with tomato sauce. Once the pasta sauce has thick and saucy remove from heat and divide pasta among bowls.

4. In a small bowl, combine chopped parsley, grated garlic, and flaky sea salt. Top pasta with parsley mixture and serve.

*Anchovy fillets – The most controversial ingredient. Let me make this perfectly clear, anchovies do not taste like fish when cooked. They simply melt into a dish and disappear. Why do you need them? They add an insane amount of depth and flavor. Instead of simmering a sauce for hours and hours, you can add anchovies to get that delicious umami flavor. Anchovies are in more dishes than you think. If you have had a Caesar Salad, then you have had anchovies. We like to use the brand Ortiz. You can find this brand at most grocery stores or you can order it on Amazon.