Utter the words fast food and many call to mind the fried fare available under golden arches (and their relative counterparts). While I grew up enjoying the occasional burger and fries my concept of fast food was, and still is, something entirely different. Even now as a mother, my definition of fast-food has very little to do with restaurant chains; it’s about putting good food on the table in a timely manner and then sitting down with my family to enjoy.
When time permits, there is nothing more pleasing than lovingly preparing a family banquet featuring multiple courses. Being a working mom, however, usually means whipping up casual, quick and delicious “fast food” Italian style. Did you know that in the same time it takes to order in take-out or pull up to the nearest drive-thru you can enjoy good food, fast, at home?
At the end of a long week, one of my go-to family favorites is a classic Italian staple, pasta aglio, olio e pepperoncino. It is a dish that I relished on many a Friday night growing up; something that could be made with what remained in the refrigerator and pantry until the Saturday grocery run. Its origins are debatable; some theories suggest it originated in Abruzzo while others say Napoli. It is referred to as the poor man’s version of the Neapolitan linguine with white clams, ‘alle vongole fujute’ meaning pasta where the clams have escaped! The version I’m sharing, is the one I grew up eating, and it is said to be Roman.
Despite its disputed past, the one certainty is that it is considered a peasant dish, a classic of the cucina rustica, made with simple ingredients. In its most basic form it is made with olive oil, garlic and chili flakes, other variations include the addition of tomato paste, anchovies and parsley.
This dish, with its glorious marriage of flavors, is ready in minutes; the sauce is made in the time that it takes to boil water and cook the spaghetti. It is a dish that has formed part of my roster of meals in minutes and one that I certainly love sharing around the dinner table with my family. Buon Appetito!
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 500 gr. package of your favorite spaghetti
- 1/4 cup olive oil (it may sound like a lot but this is the base for the sauce)
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped/minced
- 2 Tbls of tomato paste
- 4-5 anchovy fillets
- pepperoncino (chili flakes) to taste
- grated Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese (optional – some suggest that cheese takes away from the flavor of the garlic so use or omit according to your own taste)
Directions:
In a large pot of salted boiling water cook the spaghetti until al dente.
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium flame and add in the garlic. Once you’ve sautéed the garlic add in the pepperoncino and the anchovy fillets, stirring until they have dissolved into the oil. Finally, stir in the tomato paste until it too has dissolved and created a red sauce. If you find that sauce is too think, take a ladle full or two of the starchy pasta water to thin it out.
Once the spaghetti are cooked add them to the pan. Toss to coat with the sauce until every strand is a beautiful burnt orange color. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in grated cheese according to taste. Portion out and serve. On an end note, for anyone who may not be fond of anchovies, reduce the number of fillets to 2, but do not omit as they add that certain je ne sais qua to the dish that makes the flavor just pop.
