After a big day at LPHQ This Little Pig sometimes has extremely weary trotters. Its soul barely stirs at the thought of cooking a divine meal and the thought of takeaway swims across this swine’s blurry vision enticingly. Luckily this porcine has the perfect remedy for such an occasion with a quick, easy and satisfying meal that brightens up This Little Pig and/or sends it into a food coma (either is satisfactory).
Now if you’ve skipped ahead and read the words anchovy in the title below and thought “oh nah, I hate anchovies,” don’t be like that angry piglet. Hate is a very strong word and This Little Pig's mum told us that once you say you hate someone you can never take it back (oh dear). So open your mind and take into account that finely diced, fried and tossed through pasta creates a lightly salty taste and there is just no need for the word “hate” to be bandied around in the kitchen again. So take This Little Pig's trotter in trust and step into this divine dish that will make you grin and continue to twirl pasta around your fork long after you’re full. Oink!
Chilli, Anchovy & Garlic Linguine.
250g x Linguine Pasta
6 x Garlic Cloves
60g x Anchovies
1 x Parsley Bunch
2 x Tbs Olive Oil + some for drizzling
2 x Red Chillis
50g x Panko Breadcrumbs - *This Little Pig warns you that panko breadcrumbs are not half as delicious as homemade bread crumbs from a day old rustic sourdough loaf, but This Little Pig also acknowledges that it never has the energy for that when it is concocting this “Lazy Swine Pasta.”
How to make fabulousness:
- Fill a medium pot of water and bring to the boil.
- Give your red chillis a firm parental smack with the back of your knife the whole way down its length and then use your hand to roll the chilli back and forth pressing firmly. Now when you cut off his end and bang it on the board, all your chilli seeds should leap out of your chilli with no arguments or complaints.
- Now that you have your chilli seeds out, slice your chilli (2) into thin slices.
- Peel & slice garlic (6 cloves) into thin slices.
- Really finely chop your anchovies (60g) – yes it’s a bit gross touching them but man up piglet.
- Finely dice parsley (1 bunch).
- Place your pasta (250g) into the boiling water and cook until al dente (you want a slight bit of firmness to your pasta – definitely not gluggy and overcooked).
- Heat olive oil (2 Tbs) on a MEDIUM to LOW heat in pan and drop in your garlic slices, cook until just starting to turn golden.
- Add in your anchovies and stir for 2 mins or until starting to lightly crisp.
- Add in your chilli (only add one if you’re not a very “chilli piglet”) and ½ of your diced parsley and stir through quickly for about 30 seconds.
- Pour the contents of your pan into a bowl then place your fry pan back on the heat, turn up to high and pour in your panko breadcrumbs.
- Now stay vigilant piglets, breadcrumbs go from white to burnt in the space of a Nano second in This Little Pigs mind. One minute you’ll be standing there thinking “this is boring nothing is happening to them, perhaps I should add some oil” and then all of a sudden “holy piglets I’ve burnt my breadcrumbs!” So keep a watchful eye and constantly stir these breadcrumbs until you have achieved golden brown perfection, then pour into a bowl.
- Drain your pasta.
- Pour your pasta into the empty fry pan, add in your bowl of chill, anchovies and garlic and gently stir through with ½ of your breadcrumbs.
- Serve a lovely heap of pasta onto your plate and top with remaining breadcrumbs and parsley. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve in tracky pants and a bad top knot (or for the men – a heavy 4 o’clock shadow and jocks - too far?). Oink!
