Tomato, Cheese, and Anchovy Sauce
This spicy tomato-and-anchovy sauce is the perfect accompaniment for plain fusilli.
Serves4
CostModerate
Total Timeunder 1 hour
Recipe Courseappetizer, main course
Dietary Considerationegg-free, halal, kosher, peanut free, soy free, tree nut free
Mealdinner
Type of Dishdry pasta, pasta, pasta sauce, sauces
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 pound homemade or store-bought fusilli
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 anchovy fillets in salt, rinsed and dried
- 2 ounces green olives in brine, drained, pitted, and diced
- 1¾ cups Tomato and Basil Sauce
- 5 ounces fresh mozzarella (fior di latte), diced
- Fine sea salt to taste
- Grinding of black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
-
Bring the water to a boil in a pasta pot with an insert. Add the salt and fusilli. For commercially prepared fusilli, follow the directions on the packaging. For homemade, the cooking time will be less but more than for most types of homemade pasta because of their thickness. Cook until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the fusilli and place them in a large bowl. Toss with the 1 tablespoon olive oil, cover, and set aside.
-
Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-size saucepan over low heat, stir in the anchovies with a wooden spoon, and cook until they almost dissolve into the oil. Stir in the olives and tomato sauce, bring the ingredients to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the mozzarella, pour the sauce over the fusilli, and mix everything together very quickly, allowing the cheese to melt. Add the salt, pepper, and oregano, toss again, and transfer the mixture to a pasta platter. Serve immediately.
1998 Mary Ann Esposito
