Pasta With Tuna Anchovies Pine Nuts And Currants Recipes

SPAGHETTI WITH FENNEL, ANCHOVIES, CURRANTS, PINE NUTS & CAPERS

Steps:

• Quarter the fennel bulbs. Remove the coarse outer leaves and trim the tips (cut off and reserve any fronds). Remove and discard the core from each quarter, then chop the rest of the fennel.
• Cook the spaghetti in a pan of boiling, lightly salted water. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Sauté the fennel until soft, then add the garlic and cook gently until pale gold. Add the anchovies, press with a wooden spoon, then add the chilli. When the anchovies fall apart, toss in the currants, capers, parsley and most of the pine nuts.
• Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the frying pan. Add the lemon juice and season to taste. Toss together, then serve straight from the pan or transfer to a large warm serving bowl. Scatter over the remaining pine nuts and any fennel fronds.

SICILIAN PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Place the raisins or currants in a small bowl and cover with warm water. In another bowl combine the saffron with 3 tablespoons warm water. Let both sit for 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the cauliflower and boil gently until the florets are tender but the middle resists when poked with a skewer or knife, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoons or tongs (or a pasta insert) remove the cauliflower from the water, transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. You will cook the pasta in the cauliflower water. Cut the florets from the core of the cauliflower and cut them into small florets or crumble coarsely using a fork or your hands.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it smells fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, and add the anchovies and tomatoes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Drain the raisins or currants and add, along with the saffron and its soaking liquid, cauliflower, pine nuts or almonds, and about 1/4 cup of the cooking water from the cauliflower. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
• Bring the cauliflower water back to a boil and cook the pasta al dente, following the timing instructions on the package. Check the sauce and if it seems dry add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and transfer to the pan with the sauce. Toss together and serve, sprinkled with pecorino and chopped basil leaves. If desired, drizzle a little olive oil over each serving.

PASTA WITH ANCHOVIES, CURRANTS, FENNEL, AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add anchovies; mash with back of fork. Add onion, fennel, and red pepper. Sauté vegetables until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, pine nuts, and currants. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes to blend flavors; season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite.
• Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Add saffron to reserved liquid and stir to dissolve. Return pasta and saffron water to pot. Add tomato mixture; toss over low heat until sauce coats pasta. Mix in breadcrumbs and transfer to bowl.

PASTA WITH A ANCHOVY, SPINACH AND PINE NUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Spinach -- Just thaw and squeeze dry and set to the side. It will take only a couple of minutes to heat up in the sauce.
• Pasta -- Again, takes just minutes for Angel Hair pasta to cook so make sure you sauce is done or at least started. This dish only takes minutes.
• For the pasta cook according to directions - a large pot of salted water. when done, drain and set to the side to keep warm.
• Sauce -- In a large saute pan, add the oil and and bring to a medium high heat. Add the pine nuts and toast until golden brown. They will only take a minute and stir often. Remove to a paper towel to let them drain. Then add the garlic and shallot and cook two minutes until they start to get golden brown, add the anchovies and cook another minute. Add the spinach breaking it up as you add it to the pan along with the butter and cook 2-3 minutes.
• Pine Nuts -- I take about 1/2 or a little less and break them up a bit. You can just use the back of a fork or you can put them in a baggie and just hit them with the bottom of a pan or bowl to slightly crush them. You just want to break them up a bit.
• Finishing -- Pasta should be done and drained. Simply add the pasta to the sauce pan along with the pine nuts, lemon juice and zest and toss well.
• Garnish with fresh grated parmesan. Literally a 20 minute dish and absolutely delish! And if you think you didn't like anchovies, you will.

PASTA WITH TUNA, ANCHOVIES, PINE NUTS AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• In a heavy skillet saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil over medium heat until they are pale golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the garlic. Add the mashed anchovies and, stirring with a wooden spoon, let them melt over the heat, dissolving in the oil. Stir in the tomatoes, pine nuts, currants, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes. Set this mixture aside.
• Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, add the sea salt and cook the pappardelle until it is al dente. Reserve some cooking water in case you need it to thin the sauce.
• Flake the tuna with a fork, add it to the anchovy-tomato sauce and mix it in well. Toss the pasta with most of the sauce, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil if needed and pour the remainder of the sauce over the top. Serve immediately sprinkled with the parsley and toasted bread crumbs.