Spaghetti with anchovy butter, crispy crumb and seared lemon

Robert Gonzal
Robert Gonzal @robert
Vancouver BC

This is my take on a dish I ate during my first and only trip to Venice. Our group leader arranged dinner for us at a local trattoria, and the primo was a humble-looking plate of pasta flavoured with not much more than anchovies and breadcrumbs. Needless to say, looks were deceiving. The pasta was garlicky, lightly briny and salty, and totally delicious. The best bit was the crunchy breadcrumbs liberally sprinkled on top, which added both extra flavour and texture. For my version, I also added a lemon. It's seared for extra flavour and to tone down the bite slightly, and really helps to add a pop of brightness to the dish. Buon appetito.

Spaghetti with anchovy butter, crispy crumb and seared lemon

This is my take on a dish I ate during my first and only trip to Venice. Our group leader arranged dinner for us at a local trattoria, and the primo was a humble-looking plate of pasta flavoured with not much more than anchovies and breadcrumbs. Needless to say, looks were deceiving. The pasta was garlicky, lightly briny and salty, and totally delicious. The best bit was the crunchy breadcrumbs liberally sprinkled on top, which added both extra flavour and texture. For my version, I also added a lemon. It's seared for extra flavour and to tone down the bite slightly, and really helps to add a pop of brightness to the dish. Buon appetito.

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Ingredients

10 minutes
2 servings
  1. 250 gdried spaghetti
  2. 1/4 cuppanko breadcrumbs
  3. 1large lemon, halved
  4. 4 tbspunsalted butter (European-style butter works best)
  5. 8-10anchovy fillets (oil packed)
  6. 4 clovesgarlic, halved
  7. Pinchpepper flakes
  8. Fresh Italian parsley, chopped for garnish

Cooking Instructions

10 minutes
  1. 1

    Boil the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water per the package directions. While it cooks, prepare everything else.

  2. 2

    Add the panko to a small pan on medium heat. Immediately sprinkle a tablespoon or so of olive oil over top, then toss until all the crumbs are coated. Once toasted and crunchy (about 1 minute), remove the crumbs to a bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside. Add a fresh splash of oil to the pan and lay the lemon in cut-side down. Wait for a minute, then turn the heat off and leave the lemons as they are until serving.

  3. 3

    Add the butter to a large pan on medium heat. Once the butter's melted, add the anchovies, garlic, and pepper flakes. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break the anchovies up into the oil. Let cook until the butter browns and slows foaming, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and add a splash of the pasta cooking water to stop the frying and emulsify the sauce. Remove the garlic if desired.

  4. 4

    Drag the cooked spaghetti to the pan of sauce and toss to coat. Taste, then adjust seasoning as required. Serve with a garnish of breadcrumbs and parsley, and seared lemon on the side that diners can squeeze over top as they wish.

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Robert Gonzal
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Vancouver BC
Married dad of 1. Food fanatic. Chef's Table addict. The kitchen is my happy place.
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Comments (2)

Lee's
Lee's @Lees
👍 Simplicity at it's finest!

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