This is my 300th post!
While growing up I was a picky eater. The list of things I avoided was huge, including most vegetables (except for tomatoes and potatoes) and all kinds of seafood. Invitations for dinner at a friend’s home made me worry for days, thinking about what to do if they served such or such an item. When my friends suggested a night out for sushi, I made sure that the restaurant had other choices (and I don’t mean miso soup or tempura! ;-)). But, in my twenties the food aversions started to bother me. Even though I had trouble admitting it, I wanted to be a person who could appreciate any type of food that a host served me, and stop worrying about my humongous list of neurotic restrictions.
Slowly but surely I experimented with things I disliked: a small bite here, a taste there, and to my surprise, I found that the worst part of the experience was not the food itself, but its anticipation, … the fear of it. When I was 30 I’d overcome almost all my food aversions, and each one felt like a small victory. Nevertheless, one item stubbornly refused to capitulate: anchovies. I recently set on a mission to change that. Following Jeffrey Steingarten in his great book “The Man Who Ate Everything,” I’ll slowly introduce anchovies in my cooking. This recipe is my first step on the path to enjoying them.
PASTA PUTTANESCA
(adapted from Fine Cooking, October 2010)
salt
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
One 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 lb. dried spaghetti
1/2 cup pitted brine-cured black olives, such as Kalamata, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. nonpareil capers, rinsed and drained
1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano or marjoram
Freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil with the garlic in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, but not too dark, about 2 minutes. Add the anchovies and red pepper flakes and cook for a couple more minutes. Add the tomatoes, increase the heat to medium high, bring to a boil, and then simmer gently for 10 minutes.
After adding the tomatoes to the pan, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente.
When the tomato sauce is ready, add the olives, capers, and oregano and stir. Simmer until just heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil and season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
When the pasta is ready, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain well. Return the pasta to the pot, set it over medium-low heat, pour in the sauce, and toss, adding cooking water as needed for the sauce to coat the pasta. Serve immediately.
ENJOY!
to print the recipe, click here
Comments: Pasta puttanesca was a perfect option for anchovies, because it has so many other flavors in the sauce: capers, black olives and herbs. I felt a little uneasy opening the can of oil-packed anchovies, took a careful sniff and tried to concentrate on “umami” instead of “impossibly fishy.” I had no idea that they would splatter so much in the pan, loudly announcing their presence and making a mess on the stove. Next time I’ll be better prepared!
The verdict? I detected a hint of the salty, smoky flavor of the anchovies, but nothing offensive. This time I only used two filets, just to be safe, but the next time I’ll add three. Some day I want a slice of pizza with one of those small fish laying defiantly on top, but it may take more time!
Puttanesca is a hearty dish that will stand on its own as a meal, but because I wasn’t sure about it, I also prepared plan B: grilled flank steak. It was really a tasty match!
ONE YEAR AGO: Hoisin Explosion
Bewitching Kitchen 
I would not have pegged you for a picky eater at all. I admire your adventurousness with foods. There are still several that I have aversions to myself and I don’t know that I quite have the commitment to keep trying them in different ways. I’ve never had anchovies before, but my husband likes them in salad every now and then.
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My poor Mom had a hard time with me growing up, that’s for sure!
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Congratulations on 300 posts, that’s awesome!
I am almost done reading your whole blog, going backwards in time.
love it!
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Thanks so much, loved to know you enjoy the BK!
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What a great way to start with anchovies! I shared the similar aversion and was happy to discover how their flavor melds into a dish, adding that extra umami quality.
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exactly! Gotta think “umami”, and if you think hard enough, it works… 😉
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It’s the perfect recipe to start introducing them with. Maybe a classic caesar salad dressing too…
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That’s actually next on my list… a little more scary as the anchovies will not even be cooked. If I add just a little bit, I might be able to enjoy it
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I absolutely love pasta puttanesca! Your photo made me desire to make it very soon! I was one of the kids that liked everything!!
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Some kids are so adventurous, I am always amazed by a couple of young kids I know whose favorite meal is sushi – and they go for the exotic stuff, like sea urchin, which I tried only once and… well, it’s definitely an acquired taste that I still need to work on! 😉
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Congratulations on anshovelling and reaching post 300! Woo Hoo! The trouble with salted anchovies is that they are so very salty, now the little fresh ones that you get with tapas are quite different and delectable… I am very cautious in my anchovy use, though I have seen many classic recipes pairing them with lamb and mutton….. Your food exploration is wonderful to read every week, I do enjoy it 😀
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THanks, Joanna…. actually the salty part would be no problem for me, I love salt and have very low blood pressure, so anchovies could be perfect for me. It’s that fishy thing that gets me… but, I’m bravely working on it!
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que bom 300 postagens!
eu sempre provei de tudo, tem algumas combinações que não aprecio, mas como de tudo, agora meu filho é exatamente assim como vc era, hj aos 20 anos ele esta começando a repensar a situação, acho isto perfeito afinal não custa nada provar não é necessário gostar, mas é muito bom provar.
bjs
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Quem sabe seu filho vai acabar que nem eu, comendo de tudo – ou quase.
Eu provo tudo pelo menos uma vez, e tenho grande curiosidade de provar algo diferente – o pior que pode acontecer e’ nao gostar, mas se nao tentar, como saber?
e’ como aquele ditado portugues – “filhos, melhor nao te-los, mas se nao te-los, como sabe-los?
🙂
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Happy 300th! And I hope you comprehensively conquer your anchovy angst, because a really good salty Italian anchovy is a thing of great beauty. Sometimes I just eat them on SD toast with a little olive oil, love them to bits! 🙂
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That might really take a while, Celia – but where there’s will, there’s hope! A good sourdough, and maybe a glass of wine (or two…)
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So, the half dozen (huge) bananas you used to love and eat, at once, 25 years ago have given way for even anchovies!!!!! Sky is the limit for you (not even). Congratulations my dearest!
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oh, my dark side is being revealed…. yeap, those were the good old times, when me and my Dad would compete to see who could eat more bananas at one setting…. I am a sissy now, one banana and I’m done! 😉
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Now that’s just perfect. I love anchovies in about everything. Congrats on the 300th post!
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Thank you! Not sure how 300 arrived so quickly, but “posts fly when you are having fun!”
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