If you like anchovies, you’ll love it

But you have to like anchovies

Alright, anchovies, the tiny fish that’s secretly running my kitchen.

In true cucina povera, they were the go-to when you needed big flavor from ingredients that were cheap and preserved.

And ya there are a lot of anchovy haters out there (we listen and we don’t judge), but let’s be real; most of them only had ’em straight up or on some sad, greasy slice of pizza. Melting anchovies into sauce or butter is the best umami cheat code, period.

Also, they’re good for you. Packed with omega-3s, calcium, super low in mercury compared to most fish, and they happen to slap in pasta. Love that for us.

Anchovy is my secret ingredient in many recipes. It disappears into dish and adds that depth that makes people go “wait what’s in this?” Dissolve a couple into your aglio e olio while the garlic’s browning, or sneak one into your greens. Tuscans swear by anchovy fillets laid straight onto buttered crostini. Don’t knock it till you try it.

Now I know pasta alla puttanesca is the one that comes to mind when we talk anchovies. She’s the queen. She deserves a crown and her own post (dw she’s getting it), but today’s not about her. This is about something even simpler. The kind of pasta that makes you wanna pour a glass of crisp, saline white and pretend you live on the Amalfi coast with no wifi.

Anchovy butter is so underrated. It’s stupid easy and stupid good on everything—toasted focaccia, grilled asparagus, rapini, soft-boiled eggs. Just bomb. All you do is blend room temp butter with anchovies. Maybe a little lemon zest if you’re feeling fancy. That’s it. Keep it in the fridge and flex on all your meals like a crackhead.

Also try bagna cauda, a hot anchovy-garlic dip from Piemonte. Name literally means “hot bath.” You serve it with raw or blanched veg like fennel, carrots, but honestly, no one’s stopping you from dunking fries in it either.

Now go stack up on the good stuff and thank me later (here’s the brand I used).

More fishy business soon.

Em

the flavor boost no one sees coming

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TONNARELLI AL BURRO E ALICI

FOR 2

• 250g fresh tonnarelli

• 2 tbsp anchovy butter

• 1 small ladle of pasta water

• 1 handful of capers (rinsed if super briny)

• Fresh chopped parsley

• Zest of 1/2 lemon (to taste)

• 1-2 anchovy fillet(s), broken into bits for garnish

HOW

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil—use slightly less salt than usual since the anchovy butter and capers are already salty.

2. Cook your pasta until just al dente. 

3. While it’s going, melt the anchovy butter in a pan over low heat. Keep it gentle—you want it silky, not sizzling. You don’t want to brown your butter.

4. Drag the pasta straight into the pan with a splash of pasta water. Toss it around until the sauce emulsifies and coats everything nice and glossy. Add more water if it’s looking dry.

5. Toss in the capers and turn off the heat. Mix it all together.

6. Throw in your chopped parsley.

7. Plate it up. Top with olive oil, lemon zest, and little bits of anchovy fillet.

8. No cheese. No extra salt. Just trust the fish.

WORD

• Tonnarelli can be swapped for spaghetti, linguine or any long noods you like

• How to Anchovy butter:

  • Let your butter chill room temp until soft

  • Use a robot to whip your butter and anchovies filets a few seconds until smooth

  • Done !

If you are trying to stack on anchovy butter–I use one jar of anchovy (380g) for a brick of unsalted butter (454g). Keep in the fridge in a small airtight container for a week. Or freeze it for up to 3 months—just slice off what you need as you go