Filei calabresi al pomodoro- pasta with tomatoes

I always find it comical when my Italian friends say that sometimes I seem more Italian than they are, especially when my Tuscan friends refer to be being from the south. Is it that I use my hands when talking, or do I over dramatise things, or is it that I seem to be able to effortlessly cook dishes from this region? Either way, it has been described that I have a old Italian soul, which at times I feel.  I guess I feel it more when I put some of the Calabrian chillies in belly...boom!

You will start to see a running theme here with my recent recipes, they are all of simplicity. No exceptions here. The southern twist is adding the hot dried Calabrian chillies and anchovies to the mix. I love this pasta 'filei Calabresi' for its hollowed centre allows all of the delicious tomatoes juices to permeate. Really, if only you could taste this.....

What you need (for two people)

250 grams Filei Calabrese pasta

250 grams of ripe cherry tomatoes 

six Italian anchovies fillets

teaspoon of Italian chili flakes

two gloves of garlic

handful fresh basil leaves

a splash of extra virgin olive oil

a pinch of salt

How to make:

1: In a large pan bring water to the boil, add a generous amount of salt, then the pasta. Cook the pasta as directed on the packet, roughly 18 minutes. Cook 'al dente'

2:  In a large saucepan add a little olive oil and the roughly chopped anchovies. Cook until the anchovies 'melt' into the oil, then add the finely smashed and chopped garlic and chillies- cook for a minute (do not brown the garlic)

3: Chop the tomatoes into quarters and add to the saucepan, add a pinch of salt and saute for roughly ten minuets until the tomatoes collapse and become soft. 

4: Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the tomato sauce, mix thoroughly making sure every pasta is coated in the sauce. Cook over a low heat for one minute, add some torn fresh basil leaves and serve immediately

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