Have you ever walked into an Italian restaurant, taken a deep breath and thought, “What an amazing smell!”
There’s always that extra SOMETHING that gives their pasta an extra OOMPH! and have you wondered what exactly is it that makes that so?
I have the answer for you.
It’s anchovies.
Yes, I am serious.
Some of you many go EEWWWW! I don’t eat anchovies!
Well, I am not asking you to eat the anchovies straight from the jar (although that’s really yummy too). In fact, if no one were to tell you, you probably won’t even know there are anchovies in the pasta. This is because when you cook anchovies, they “disappear” and become part of the sauce.
The pasta I cooked today was a combination of (almost) everything I love about Italian food. The olives, the sun-dried tomatoes, the peppers. It is an amazing dish.
And it was cooked in just one pot!
Here’s how.
In a skillet, cook the chicken in some olive oil until slight brown. Transfer the chicken into a bowl and set aside.
In the same skillet, saute diced onion for about 30 seconds. Add the anchovy fillets and continue cooking, mashing the anchovies with your spatula and stirring to combine.
Add minced garlic, followed by sun-dried tomatoes. Stir to mix.
By now the sauce will smell amazing.
Add the peppers and cook for about 30-40 seconds so that the peppers wilt a little.
Finally return the chicken to the skillet and add the olives. Mix until combined.
Transfer the contents of the skillet into a bowl and set aside.
In the same skillet (I did say one pot!) add the chicken stock. Bring this to a boil. Gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to dislodge the bits at the bottom.
Reduce the heat so that the stock comes to a simmer. Add the pasta, give everything a stir, and cover the skillet. Let the pasta simmer for 4-5 minutes (stir once in a while) or until al dente. Angel hair pasta cooks real quick so keep an eye on it.
Return the chicken and other ingredients to the skillet and toss to combine.
Serve immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan and chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, and drizzled with a good extra-virgin olive oil.
Buon Appetito! Now you don’t have to go to a restaurant to taste fabulous Italian food!
- 1 piece (one half) chicken breast, halved length-ways and diced
- 1/2 red pepper, sliced
- 1/2 yellow pepper, sliced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 4-5 pieces sun-dried tomato, sliced
- 1 handful (about 12-15) pitted black olives, sliced
- 200g angel hair pasta
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) low-sodium chicken stock (or mix 180ml salted chicken stock and 180ml water)
- Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
- In a skillet, cook the chicken in some olive oil until slight brown. Transfer the chicken into a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet, saute diced onion for about 30 seconds. Add the anchovy fillets and continue cooking, mashing the anchovies with your spatula and stirring to combine.
- Add minced garlic, followed by sun-dried tomatoes. Stir to mix.
- Add the peppers and cook for about 30-40 seconds so that the peppers wilt a little.
- Finally return the chicken to the skillet and add the olives. Mix until combined.
- Transfer the contents of the skillet into a bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet add the chicken stock. Bring this to a boil. Gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to dislodge the bits at the bottom.
- Reduce the heat so that the stock comes to a simmer. Add the pasta, give everything a stir, and cover the skillet. Let the pasta simmer for 4-5 minutes (stir once in a while) or until al dente. Angel hair pasta cooks real quick so keep an eye on it.
- Return the chicken and other ingredients to the skillet and toss to combine.
- Serve immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan and chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, and drizzled with a good extra-virgin olive oil.
Tovolo Mini Silicone Tongs – Chili Pepper
Tovolo Tip Top Tongs – Fuchsia
Tovolo Silicone Mixing Spoon – Fuchsia
This sounds really nice. Always looking for new recipes to try. Thanks for sharing.
Simon
I hope you try this some day!
Just wondering if u need to drain out the chicken stock before serving??
Hi Shan, No because the pasta will absorb all the liquid so there will not be any liquid to drain.
Hi Diana,
Which brand of anchovies did you use? I have never used anchovies before so I dun know which is a good brand.
Hi I don’t really go for any brands – I usually buy what I can find at the supermarkets. As long as the anchovies are not broken into small pieces (ie, you can see the shape of the fish) it is good! And also it should be soaked in olive oil!