Spaghetti with pesto, anchovies, and peppers
- Energy Kcal 598
- Carbohydrates g 66.7
- of which sugars g 5.4
- Protein g 18.9
- Fats g 28.5
- of which saturated fat g 6.05
- Fiber g 4.2
- Cholesterol mg 98
- Sodium mg 397
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 10 min
- Cook time: 20 min
- Serving: 4 persone
- Cost: Average
PRESENTATION
Every season changes the landscape of gardens, offering different colors, scents, and flavors. September brings some autumn ingredients but still invites us to enjoy some typically summer products, like basil and peppers! To use them in the best way, we invite you to dive them into a delicious first course: spaghetti with pesto, anchovies, and peppers! A first course that revisits the Genoese pesto and pasta with peppers, combining them together... or rather, revolutionizing them! With the addition of anchovy fillets in oil, these spaghetti become a dish that speaks plainly: the intense flavor takes center stage! So if you're incurable supporters of a spaghetti feast to prepare for friends for a cheerful dinner together, have no doubts: these spaghetti with pesto, anchovies, and peppers will be so appreciated that they'll join you again very willingly, and at that point, you can offer them other tantalizing dishes like pasta with pesto and fresh tuna, a fresh variant!
INGREDIENTS
- Egg Spaghetti alla Chitarra pasta 11.3 oz (320 g)
- Anchovies in oil 1.5 oz (40 g) - drained
- Extra virgin olive oil 1.7 tbsp (25 g)
- Red peppers 4.4 oz (125 g) - (already cleaned)
- Yellow peppers ¾ cup (125 g) - (already cleaned)
- Almond slices 2 tbsp (15 g)
- Garlic ½ clove
- for the pesto
- Garlic - half clove
- Basil 6 tbsp (25 g)
- Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.2 oz (35 g) - grated
- Pecorino cheese 0.5 oz (15 g) - grated
- Coarse salt 1 pinch
- Extra virgin olive oil 3 ½ tbsp (50 g)
- Pine nuts 1 ½ tsp (4 g)
- Almonds 1 tsp (4 g)
How to prepare Spaghetti with pesto, anchovies, and peppers
To prepare spaghetti with pesto, anchovies, and peppers, start by preparing the pesto. Detach all the basil leaves and gently rinse them, placing them in a container full of cold water 1, then drain them in a colander and lay them on a clean cloth, gently patting them dry 2 so as not to damage them. In a blender, pour in the basil leaves, pine nuts, sliced almonds, the already peeled garlic clove, and extra virgin olive oil 3.
Then add grated Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheese 4, and start blending. To obtain a bright green color, blend at high speed but intermittently until you have achieved the right consistency: homogeneous and not too thick 5. Finally, pour the pesto into a container, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in the refrigerator 6.
After washing the peppers, remove both ends 7, then cut them in half and remove the internal seeds, the central stem, and the white filaments 8, then cut into very thin sticks so that the peppers will cook quickly 9.
In a pan, let a garlic clove infuse in the oil and add the anchovy fillets 10, use a spatula to mix, so the fillets will melt thanks to the high temperature 11. As soon as the fillets are completely broken down, remove the garlic clove 12.
and add the sliced peppers 13, let them infuse for a moment, then cover with a lid and let them cook on a low flame for 15-20 minutes; add a few tablespoons of water if necessary 14. In a small non-stick pan, and without any seasoning, pour the sliced almonds 15.
and toast them over a high flame, stirring continuously, this way you will avoid burning them and turning them bitter 16. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water 17 and when there are 2-3 minutes left until the end of the cooking time, drain it directly into the sauce pan 18.
Add a bit of pasta water to continue cooking the spaghetti 19 and as soon as they are cooked al dente, turn off the flame and add the pesto 20, finally mix everything well 21.
Plate your spaghetti and garnish with anchovy fillets rolled like small roses and toasted almond slices 22, finish with some basil 23, and your spaghetti with pesto, anchovies, and peppers are ready: enjoy them right away 24!