Spaghetti with Tomatoes & Anchovy Butter

My husband waters a friends’ tomato plants for one week every summer while they are on vacation. I really look forward to it because we get to eat all of the ripe specimens. 🙂

This dish was a spectacular way to use our giant load of vine-ripened tomatoes. The stick of butter in the sauce made it restaurant-esque. 😉 Rich and absolutely fabulous!

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit, contributed by Alison Roman. I doubled the recipe, increased the garlic, and used whole wheat spaghetti. The whole wheat pasta added a wonderful bite to the finished dish. I also omitted incorporating pasta water into the sauce because the consistency was perfect without it. I did save it for re-heating the leftovers.

Yield: 8 servings

• 16 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
• 12 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 pounds medium tomatoes, cut into eighths
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• chopped tender herbs (such as flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, and/or chives), as desired

1. Cook spaghetti; drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Cook anchovies and garlic, stirring often, until anchovies are broken down and garlic is soft, about 4 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until falling apart, 8–10 minutes.
5. Toss in pasta; cook until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes. Incorporate pasta water to achieve desired sauce consistency.
6. Toss in herbs, for garnish, as desired.

One Year Ago:

• Ottolenghi’s Deconstructed Baba Ghanouj

Two Years Ago:

• Arugula with Sautéed Corn & Shallots

Three Years Ago:

• Pesto Pasta Salad with Spinach, Peas, & Pine Nuts
• Ina Garten’s Provencal Tomatoes

Four Years Ago:

• Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Browned Butter, Swiss Chard, Walnuts, & Golden Raisins
• Pasta alla Norma

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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