Recipes–Spaghetti With Anchovy Sauce

Spaghetti with anchovy sauce is a Neapolitan dish served on Christmas Eve – the feast of sette pesce or seven fishes.  In traditional Southern Italian homes the meal isn’t complete without squid, anchovies, octopus, baccala, eel and other fish.  I always like the anchovy pasta best, and still prepare it every Christmas Eve.



Even people who say they don’t like anchovies will like this sauce.  The anchovies blend perfectly with the white wine, lemon, and garlic to give a spicy, fragrant, light pasta dish.  It takes no more than ten minutes to make.

Spaghetti with Anchovy Sauce

* 1 can flat anchovies
* 5-6 Tbsp. olive oil enough to liberally cover the bottom of the frying pan.
* 5-6 large cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
* Juice of one med. lemon
* 5 liberal shakes of hot pepper flakes
* Large bunch of parsley, coarsely chopped
* 5 grindings black pepper
* 1 1/2 cups white wine (ordinary wine will do, except oaky Chardonnay)
* 1/2 lb. spaghetti, capellini or angel hair

- Sauté the garlic and anchovies in the olive oil, mashing them as you go.  Cook only until they are mashed, and no more. The delicate, balanced flavor of anchovies and garlic becomes too strong with overcooking

- Add the hot pepper flakes and stir for a few seconds

- Add the wine and parsley, ground pepper, and stir well.

- Simmer for about 5 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated (taste to see – there should be no bitter alcohol taste), and turn off the heat.

- Add the lemon juice

- Serve


- Plate and garnish with chopped parsley and ground pepper