Bucatini With Anchovies And Fennel Recipes

BUCATINI WITH FENNEL AND ANCHOVIES

Steps:

• Place anchovies and their oil in a small bowl, add the lemon juice and mix together to break up anchovies. Set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a 12- to 14-inch skillet, add bread crumbs and cook on medium, stirring, until they are toasted. Fold in parsley and tarragon, remove from skillet and set aside. Wipe out skillet and add remaining oil. Heat on medium-low, add fennel, onion and garlic and cook until they become soft and translucent and show a hint of color. Lightly season with salt and liberally with pepper. Stir in anchovy mixture and set aside. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
• Cook bucatini until not quite al dente. Remove 2 cups of the pasta water and continue cooking pasta until just done. Drain and add to the skillet with the fennel mixture along with about a cup of the pasta water. Scatter in the lemon zest. Heat on low. Use tongs to toss pasta thoroughly with the fennel mixture. There should be enough liquid to moisten the pasta without making it soupy, so add more pasta water if needed. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Don't be shy with the pepper. Divide the pasta among 4 to 6 warm plates, top each with some of the bread crumbs and serve with cheese on the side.

BUCATINI WITH ANCHOVIES AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Whiz bread slices in a food processor to form bread crumbs. Heat oil in a frypan and add breadcrumbs, sea salt and pepper. Toss around over a medium heat for a few minutes until golden and crunchy. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil and cook spaghetti according to packet instructions until just al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. (Al dente as you know means 'firm to the bite' and believe me, proper Italian pasta really is a little firm, certainly not squishy...so if you don't normally, maybe try it a little firmer than you are used to. Not solid clearly, but definitely with a little nugget of resistance in the core of the spaghetti.) Heat oil in a large pot and add garlic, anchovies and fennel seeds. Cook for a couple of minutes until the garlic is fragrant but not browned and the anchovies are starting to break up. Add the pasta to the pot with a good grinding of black pepper, the reserved pasta water, half of the Parmesan, and half of the parsley or fennel tips. Serve with a good grinding of black pepper, the rest of the parsley or fennel tips and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs with Parmesan passed separately around the table. Serves 4-6 (6 for lunch, 4 for dinner with a nice big salad on the side).

PASTA WITH OLIVE OIL, ANCHOVIES AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
• Add the sliced fennel bulb and the bucatini and cook until the pasta is al dente, approximately 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the 2 tblsps olive oil in a large skillet.
• Add the chopped fennel bulb and saute over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
• Add the garlic, half the wild fennel, the chopped anchovies and the red pepper flakes.
• Cook, stirring, for 6-8 minutes, or until the greens are tender.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking liquid.
• Chop the boiled fennel and add it to the sauce along with ¼ cup of the cooking liquid and the drained pasta.
• Drizzle with the Olive Oil with Anchovies and Chili Peppers.
• Add the remaining chopped fennel and toss well.
• Taste, adjust the seasonings to your liking, and serve immediately.