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This is the pasta I make when there’s not much in the fridge and I cannot justify leaving the house. Sweet jammy tomatoes, salty anchovies and butter melted together into something that tastes far more complex than it is. It’s easy to scale up, but sometimes it’s nice to write a recipe for one, especially something like this that’s easy and quick to make.
ANCHOVY BUTTER TOMATO SPAGHETTI
Ingredients
Serves 1
For the salad
• 100g spaghetti
• Olive oil
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 garlic clove, bashed
• 4 anchovy fillets (or more, if you like)
• Pinch of dried oregano, or fresh if you have
• Knob of butter
• Basil and parmesan, to serve (optional)
• Salt and black pepper
Method
1. Bring a pan of heavily salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, add a generous glug of olive oil to a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the tomatoes and let them gently fry for 6-10 minutes until they begin to collapse and soften.
3. Add the garlic, anchovies and oregano and continue to cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the anchovies melt into the oil and the tomatoes turn jammy. Make sure the garlic softens but doesn’t colour or burn.
4. Once the pasta is cooked, add a splash of pasta water to the sauce along with the butter. Stir until glossy and emulsified.
5. Toss through the spaghetti and serve with basil and parmesan, or just eat it exactly as it is.
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