from the cookbook Eat a Little Better by Sam Kass
Serves 4 to 6
Active time: 30 minutes
Start to finish: 30 minutes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 large shallots or 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
4 or 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 oil-packed anchovy fillets (or more to taste), finely chopped
Dried red pepper flakes, to taste
One 28-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes
1 pound dried spaghetti or bucatini
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Big handful of finely grated Parmesan
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic turns light golden, about 3 minutes.
Add the anchovies to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until they melt, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch or three of pepper flakes, stir well, and add the tomatoes. Bring the tomatoes to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking them up with a wooden spoon, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, more pepper flakes, and more anchovy to taste and simmer for a couple minutes more.
Cook the pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until it’s just a little less done than you’d like (it’ll finish cooking as you finish the dish). Drain well, reserving about ¼ cup of the pasta water.
Add the pasta to the sauce and toss well with tongs, gradually adding pasta water as necessary to loosen the sauce. Divide among plates. Tear the basil leaves into large pieces and scatter them over the pasta, then sprinkle on the Parmesan.