Just before New Year of 2021, my wife read aloud an amusing article in New York, on the scandalous bucatini shortage of 2020. I was Googling while she read and before she hit the last paragraph I had a half case on the way. As you know, Bucatini—the tubular spaghetti that sucks sauce into the center—has a wonderful feel when you bite into it. Anyhow, when it arrived, I cooked a batch with Allison Roman's super-umami sauce packed with caramelized shallots, anchovy, garlic and New Jersey tomatoes—sprinkled with parsley, minced garlic and flake sea salt. It was beyond swell, and I have been making it regularly since. While I love making pasta from scratch, dried works so well for certain recipes.
The Ingredients
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
8 to 10 large shallots, thinly sliced
6 to 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 can (2 oz) anchovy fillets, drained (the secret to the umami)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 small tube (about 2 tbsp) tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pasta of choice (Bucatini works exceptionally well here)
The Method
1. Caramelize the Aromatics
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, season with salt, and cook until they are soft, nicely browned, and jammy (lower the heat to medium-low if they are frying too quickly).
2. Melt the Anchovies
Once the shallots and garlic are caramelized, add the anchovies and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, and use your wooden spoon to physically mash and melt the anchovies into the oil. They will dissolve completely, adding deep savouriness rather than a fishy taste.
3. Fry the Tomato Paste
Stir in the tomato paste. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste caramelizes at the edges and changes from bright red to a dark, brick-red color.
4. Build the Sauce
At this point, you can scoop out about half of the shallot-tomato mixture to save for another meal (like a spread for roasted vegetables or a base for eggs). For the pasta, add your nearly-al dente noodles directly to the skillet, along with about 1 cup of starchy pasta water. Toss everything vigorously over medium-high heat until the pasta is coated, the sauce is glossy and sticky, and the noodles are fully cooked.
by spoonman-of-alcatraz