Recipe of the Week – Anchovies & Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Recipe of the Week – Anchovies & Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

This past weekend one of our dearest friends turned 50 so we threw a surprise party for her.  She is Italian and I had the chutzpah to prepare my favorite pasta dish for her and a bunch of other Italian friends even though I can’t claim any Italian heritage.  Luckily it was a hit.  I have been making Anchovy and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta for almost 20 years and I think it is the reason that Arié married me!  The kids now love it too.  I discovered recently that it pairs fabulously with Twelfth Night Sauvignon Blanc so Cheers and Buon Appetito!

Beth Ann

Anchovies and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

6 red bell peppers
½ cup olive oil
5-6 medium garlic cloves finely chopped
3 2-oz cans anchovy fillets
¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
Grated parmesan cheese
Cracked black pepper
12 oz spaghetti or linguine

Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, remove seeds and stems  and place on a baking sheet skin side up.  Roast under the broiler for about 12-15 minutes until the skins are blistering and starting to blacken.  Cool and then peel off the skins.  Cut the roasted peppers into ¼ inch strips.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over moderate to high heat.  Throw in the oil from the anchovy cans as well to add flavor.  Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Add the anchovies and mash them with a spoon into the oil.  Add the peppers and sauté another 2 minutes.

Toss in the parsley and stir briefly.  Serve over cooked pasta with plenty of parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper.

Serves 4