Pasta fresca con salsa Siciliana (fresh pasta with Sicilian sauce)

This sauce is SO EASY to make and the flavours are so wonderfully tasty.  This is the perfect example of "less is more"!  You really only need to add a few good quality ingredients.  If time does not permit you can use store bought pasta, but to really make this dish special I suggest making your own.  The magic of kneading, rolling, cooking than eating pasta you have made is really special- and your friends will appreciate the extra effort.  Making pasta is a good way to involve your friends, family, kid's and grandparents- it is so much fun!  Anchovies are caught in abundance in the Mediterranean sea but especially around the South coast of Sicily.  However anchovies are enjoyed by Italians throughout  most regions.  Another Sicilian way of using this sauce is to serve over a grilled piece of swordfish!!

To make the pasta:

4 cups of 00 tipo flour

4 organic eggs

Pinch of salt

Step 1:  Sift flour and salt in a large bowl.  Make a large well and crack eggs into it.  Gently beat the eggs with a fork.

Step 2:  Combine the flour with the eggs by bringing the flour down from the sides of the bowl.  Once all combined bring together into a ball.

Step 3:  Turn the ball onto a clean and well floured surface and knead the dough.  This should take about 5 minutes.  The dough will be ready when it turns slightly shiny.

Step 4:  Wrap the dough in cling wrap and store in the fridge for 1/2 hour.

Step 5:  Cut the dough into 8 pieces and start pressing through a pasta machine.  I started on number 3, then number 1 (all pasta machines are different).  Remember the pasta will become thicker once added to water.  Rub some flour on each piece of dough let it pass through the machine more easily.

Step 6: I prefer to hand cut my pasta as opposed to putting through the pasta machine for "spaghetti" or "fettuccine" etc.  Just fold each sheet of rolled pasta, and cut with a sharp knife.  Once cut you can either place in a pile or hang (I use a CLEANED broom)

Step 7: Add to boiling well salted water for about 5-10 minutes (again depending on how thick your pasta is)

To make the sauce:

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup Italian anchovy fillets

1/2 cup Italian capers

1/2 onion

1/2 tspn fresh chili chopped finely 

2 crushed garlic

1 small tomato

1/2 cup parley

Simply heat the olive oil (you may need more or less than 1 cup).  Than add the anchovies, capers, onion, garlic and chili into the pan.  Stir on a very low heat for 5 minutes until the onion is cooked through.  I like to let the sauce sit for 1/2 hour to let the flavours infuse the oil, than reheat prior to serving.  Add the tomato just before serving to heat through.  Simply stir through the pasta and top with fresh parsley.

Buon Apetito!