Pasta with Walnuts and Anchovies

One night, when I was feeling spectacularly uninspired to make dinner, I was flipping through one of my favorite cookbooks, Simple, Diana Henry. I wanted something easy, something I had all the ingredients for (zero interest in running out to the store or stores), and something that would, of course, taste incredible. I was in the mood for something salty and crunchy and this pasta with walnuts and anchovies immediately caught my interest. Now, hold up for just a sec. I know what you're probably thinking. Anchovies? I love to think of anchovies as the secret sauce for adding umami salty flavor that will literally make you drool and want to polish off your bowl (or plate.....but I'm a big fan of serving pasta in bowls!).

Now, if you're squeamish about whole anchovies, you can easily add anchovy paste. But, promise me you won't skip the anchovies....ok? They melt into the sauce so your kids (and you) won't be able to see them. You'll have a rich, flavorful sauce that had the crunch of toasted walnuts, rich deep flavor from the anchovies and kick of spice from the chili flakes. This dish is the perfect example of how to simple ingredients can create big flavor. You really don't need a thousand ingredients, and, honestly, who the heck wants to prep a thousand ingredients anyway?

Now, let's talk about the speed in which you'll get this dish on the table -- it's under 30 minutes. Prep your ingredients first, and while you're pasta is cooking you'll be making the sauce. As soon as the pasta is done, add it to your sauce, give it a stir and dinner is served!

Time for FAQs!

What kind of pasta can I use?

Any pasta you like! Spaghetti, penne, rigatoni, fusilli all will work!

Do I really need to use anchovies?

YES!! Unless you or someone in your family is allergic, you absolutely need to use anchovies. They're a great pantry staple, so I highly recommend you always have a jar on hand.....or a tube of anchovy paste. If you like Caesar salad, you've eaten anchovies before. Trust me, you'll love the flavor they add!

Can I substitute something else for anchovies?

If you're reading this at 6 p.m. and need to get dinner on the table ASAP, but don't have anchovies, then, yes, you can substitute a splash of fish sauce or a spoonful of white miso. But, if you're reading this in the morning or afternoon and have time to run to the store and buy anchovy paste (or a jar of anchovies), I definitely recommend doing that!

How can I spice it up?

Feel free to be generous with the chili flakes if you want more heat. You can also add an extra clove of garlic if you want to ward off vampires......kidding!!! But if you love garlic, an extra clove will add an extra kick of flavor.

What should I serve with this?

I'm always a huge fan of a simple green salad, especially with pasta dinners. A radicchio or butter lettuce tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette would be delicious. Add some shredded carrots or cherry tomatoes for a little extra color and pop of flavor. Fun idea: my kids always ate their carrots in salads when they were shredded, not chopped.

If you're craving carbs, here are some other tasty dinner options:

Pasta Alla Vodka

Pasta with Chicken Meatballs

Pasta Primavera

overhead of linguine with a walnut and anchovie sauce, garnished with fresh basil

Ingredients

1 package of your favorite pasta -- I'd recommend spaghetti, orecchiette, or fusilli
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic , minced
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
8 high quality anchovies, finely chopped OR 1 1/2 tablespoons anchovy paste
1 teaspoon Squeeze of lemon juice
Fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Fill a large pot with water for the pasta and bring it to a boil.
While you wait for it to boil, assemble the ingredients for the sauce: olive oil, garlic, chili pepper, walnuts, anchovies (or paste) and lemon juice. The sauce will come together quickly, so assembling the ingredients now will save time.
When the water boils, generously salt and add the pasta.
Cook pasta according to package directions, minus 3 minutes for perfect al dente pasta.
The sauce will only take about 5 minutes, so start the sauce when there are 5 minutes left on the pasta cooking time.
In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the garlic, chili flakes and walnuts and toast for about 3-5 minutes. Adjust the heat and lower it to prevent the garlic from browning. You want it to gently simmer, so adjust heat accordingly.
Add the anchovies (or paste).
If using anchovies, press them down into the sauce with the back of a wooden spoon. They will melt into the sauce, so keep pressing until they are fully incorporated. This should only take a minute or two. If you finish this step and your pasta is still cooking, remove your skillet from the heat and set aside. When you're ready to add the pasta water and then the pasta, place it back on low to medium heat to warm it.
When the pasta is finished cooking BEFORE DRAINING, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water into a glass measuring cup. The pasta water will help bring the sauce together and coat your pasta. Drain the pasta and return to the pot, drizzle with olive oil and add a couple tablespoons of butter (this will prevent the pasta from sticking together).
ANOTHER OPTION FOR THE PASTA: You can also use tongs to transfer pasta straight from the pot directly to the sauté pan. There should be enough water on the pasta to help the sauce, but save some of the pasta water in case you need to add a bit more. If you do it this way, be sure to turn off the heat on your stove first.
Carefully stir the pasta water into the sauce. The starch in the water will help the sauce coat the pasta and create a beautiful glossy sauce.
Using tongs, add the pasta to the saucepan , and toss with the sauce until it's fully coated with the sauce. The pasta should look gorgeous and glossy.
Add the lemon juice, and toss a few more times over low heat.
Serve garnished with some parsley, and with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
You can also drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the top because, well, why not?

Have you made this recipe?I'd love to know! Leave a comment or recipe rating and tag me @amenuforyou on social media!