I think I just made the best pasta dish of my life

[teela brown]

I've been watching a youtube channel called "Italia Squisita", and a chef there showed a pasta dish which was completely new to me: spaghetti with anchovy butter. He said it was widely known and eaten in Italy.

It's as easy as hell. Assuming you like anchovies (and I love them), here's how to do it:

Set out half a stick of unsalted butter to soften and come to room temperature. When it's soft, chop and mash three anchovy fillets and mash and mix them into the soft butter.

Cook up a third of a pound of spaghetti in salted water, and when it's al dente, move the pasta into a big skillet together with a quarter cup of its cooking water. Toss and cook it over medium-high heat for a bit and let it absorb the cooking water. When the water is almost absorbed and the pasta is reaching the stage of softness that you like, turn off the heat. Scrape the anchovy butter into the skillet and toss and stir the pasta and butter together. The bit of remaining water and the butter will emulsify together and become a lightly creamy sauce that just coats the pasta. Add a few chile flakes if you like, and maybe a smidge of oregano.

Serve it up. It's delectably buttery and flavored with salty anchovy, and I find it addicting.

[Jaglavak]

Impressive! You can even make anchovies sound tasty.

[Dragonlady]

That sounds amazing! I like anchovies - and it keep the kids from eating my pizza!

[SmartAleq]

Okay then, for your next trick--Bagna Cauda!

[Zeener Diode]

I don't have anchovies but I have smoked sardines in olive oil. Maybe I'll try this?

[teela brown]

I don't see why sardine butter wouldn't taste good melted into pasta.

I've read about bagna cauda, Smartie, but have never had any. I ought to whip some up, maybe this summer when a light antipasto-y kind of dinner sounds good.

I have some leftover cold anchovy butter. I think I'll spread some thinly on hot white toast as a snack.

[Scuba Ben]

Originally Posted by Jaglavak

Impressive! You can even make anchovies sound tasty.

I've made it work once. The trick is to soak all the salt out of the anchovies first.