Pasta Modiga
Anchovy sauce topped with breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 2 cans flat anchovies
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 2-4 cloves garlic
- 3-4 T olive oil (enough to cover bottom of pot)
- Black pepper (NO SALT - anchovies are salty enough)
- Plain breadcrumbs
Instructions for the sauce:
Add olive oil and garlic cloves to medium-sized pot and fry over medium-low heat until the garlic is dark brown but not black, as this would spoil the sauce. (If garlic is blackened in error, remove and discard from the oil.) Add tomato paste a little at a time, stirring to mix with the garlic-flavored oil. When paste is a dark brown, add a little cold water - about half of the can - stirring constantly for about 5 minutes.
Add one can of anchovies, including the oil from the can, making sure to stir the whole time to prevent the sauce from splattering all over the stove. Add one can of cold water, cook for ten minutes while continuing to stir. Then add the other can of anchovies, but not the oil from this can. (Otherwise the sauce will be too oily!) Simmer 10 minutes over a low flame.
Remove from heat and cover. Sauce is easily reheated, if necessary, before serving.
Instructions for the breadcrumbs:
Add breadcrumbs to a dry frying pan and heat over medium-low flame, stirring the whole time. This procedure must be watched very carefully, otherwise breadcrumbs and frying pan will burn. The breadcrumbs must be a golden brown color. Immediately remove when the color is satisfactory.
Instructions for the pasta:
Cook pasta (linguini or spaghettini) al dente. The water will not need any salt, as the anchovies are salty enough. Shake the colander to remove any excess water (so as not to spoil the taste of this wonderful Sicilian dish.) Serve pasta on separate dishes, add the warm sauce, and top with the toasted breadcrumbs. Grating cheese is not used on this dish.
