Orecchiette with Anchovy Sauce

This recipe is derived from Bigoli in Salsa all'Ebraica con Acciuga from The Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Rodin. I cut back on the anchovies (by half), but it’s still a lot of anchovies for non-Italians. I usually forget or skip the pepper. I have never chopped the capers as instructed in the original recipe; maybe capers are bigger in Italy.

Ingredients

• 1 lb orecchiette, preferably whole wheat
• 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 2 oz. cans anchovy fillets in oil
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 bunch Italian (flat-leafed) parsley, chopped
• a handful of capers
• pepper to taste

Directions

1. Boil pasta with a generous amount of salt and drain.
2. In a saucepan, heat garlic in oil just until the aroma rises.
3. Add anchovies with their oil and stir until they dissolve a bit.
4. Freshen pasta and mix with the sauce in a large bowl (or in the sauce pan, if it’s large enough).
5. Add parsley, pepper, and capers.
6. Serve hot or cold.