Today is that much awaited dinner with anchovies.
I am making Linguine with walnuts and anchovies today.
I found this recipe by accident or maybe fate when I was looking up how to spell a word when this recipe appeared on my Google search. I thought to myself hum It must have been meant to be since I was not spelling anything like anchovy’s linguine or walnuts. It was a little scary when I thought about it later and realized that I had been craving anchovies while I was doing my word search. It has to make you stop and think did Google read my mind? Is this a new technology they have developed? Of course my mind with off into space and I began to think to myself if Google could do that I would not have to search for anything all I would have to do is think about it and it would appear on my computer. Ok so much for fantasy!
Yesterday I decided was the day to put this craving to rest and went over to the grocery store and bought the anchovies I needed to make this dish. I had everything else so it would be an inexpensive and easy dinner to make.
Anchovies can be expensive but if you check the lower shelves in the canned fish isle you will find a much less expensive option you can purchase. It’s worth taking the time to look since these cans can cost of to five dollars and by checking out the lower shelf I found a can for
a dollar forty nine.
Let’s face it anchovies are anchovies and as long as they are packed in olive oil who cares if it’s not a name brand? It will taste the same. I came back home and made my long awaited dinner.
When I made my Anchovy recipe I of course substituted some of the ingredients in the recipe so I could use what I already have on hand.
First let me give you the recipe as I found it and then I will tell you what I substituted.
Linguine With Walnuts And Anchovies
Today it that much awaited dinner with anchovies.
I am making Linguine with walnuts and anchovies. I was looking up a spelling when this recipe appeared on my Google search. I thought to myself hum It must have been mean to be since I was not spelling anything like anchovy’s linguine or walnuts so today I went over to the grocery store and bought the anchovies. Anchovies can be expensive but if you check the lower shelves you will find a much less expensive option. I paid a dollar forty nine for mine. You will see cans for up to five dollars for the same size. Let’s face it anchovies are anchovies and as long as they are packed in olive oil who cares if it’s not a name brand?
Now I am back home fixing the dinner. I am of course substituting some of the ingredients in this recipe to use what I already have on hand.
First let me give you the recipe as I found it
with a mention in the recipe of what I substituted or added.
Recipe
Linguine with Walnuts and Anchovies
TOTAL TIME
20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Salt
1/2 pound linguine or angel hair pasta (my choice)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or light
3 large cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
1/2 cup shelled walnuts, coarsely chopped (pieces of about 1/4 inch or a little less) (pecans instead)
1 tablespoon of capers (I added)
1 tablespoon of dried fennel (I added)
Red pepper flakes to taste
4 whole salted anchovies, rinsed and filleted, or 8 oil-packed anchovy fillets, rinsed
PREPARATION
1.
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Start the sauce in the next step, and start cooking the linguine when the water boils.
2.
Combine the garlic and oil in a deep 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic, pressing it into the oil occasionally to release its flavor. When it is just beginning to color on one side, add the nuts and the pepper flakes. Remove the garlic when it colors on the other side; cook the sauce another minute or so.
3.
Add the anchovies, and increase the heat to medium, mashing them into the oil as they cook. As soon as they dissolve, almost immediately, add 1/2 cup of the pasta's cooking water to the pan. Remove the sauce from the heat until the pasta is cooked.
4.
When the pasta is still a little undercooked -- about 2 minutes less time than usual -- drain it, and then turn it into the pan with the sauce. Cook the linguine in the sauce, stirring and tossing constantly, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the linguine are tender. Serve immediately.
YIELD
2 or 3 servings
I made this recipe as directed but used angel hair pasta which I had on hand instead of the linguini and instead of walnuts I used pecans since my friend wanted to join me for dinner and she does not like walnuts. The olive oil was virgin olive oil light since that was what I had available.
I mentioned what I added to please my taste buds and of course I used what I had on hand but you don't have to do it my way there are so many other things you can add instead or in addition to what I have shared with you. Do you like black olives maybe organs? Use what you have on hand and enjoy making this easy recipe the way you like it. This is all about you not about me. All I am doing is telling you what I made and how I made it. It’s up to you to change what you feel needs changing for your taste buds.
I think it turned out great and was easy to make.
I served it with a green salad on the side and some white wine.
It made an impressive dinner that really did not cost that much to make.
I don’t like to spend a lot of money to make something I have been craving and I always feel successful when I can have my cake and eat it too or in this case my anchovies!
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