RIGATONI CON PESCE

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, I feel the urge to break my diet. The other night was one of those inevitable exceptions to the rule where the craving for carbohydrates outweighed the controlling effort on my part to shed pounds. So, after culling through the cabinets for something good to eat, the choice was either farfalle or rigatoni. As you can see from the photograph below, the rigatoni won.

RIGATONI CON PESCE

I love fish. I know a lot of people who don't and they simply don't know what they're missing. I had some leftover cod and red snapper, too, as well as some anchovies so it was obvious to me what had to be done. You can use sardines for this dish as well.

Serves 8 as a first course or 4 as a meal.

I put a big pot of water on the stove, turned the flame on high, covered the pot and moved on to other tasks: smashing garlic, mincing an onion, chopping up a few fennel stalks, measuring out a 1/2 teaspoon of hot red pepper flakes and a very tiny pinch of saffron as well, if you are so inclined.

Heat a pan, pour a generous amount of olive oil in it and sauté the garlic and onions until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes. While the onion mixture is cooking, chop up the fish, including the anchovies into small pieces and put it in the pan. Keep cooking for a while and add about 1/2 cup of Prosecco or white wine. Add the saffron at this point if using. It will melt into the wine base. Let it cook and reduce by at least halt. While the wine is reducing, take 8-10 very ripe plum tomatoes and after hulling them, chop coarsely. When the wine mixture has reduced, add the tomatoes. Once the sauce comes to the boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Salt and pepper to taste, add a handful of chopped parsley and basil. Let cook until the tomato sauce become very thick. 

By this time, the water should be boiling. Add a handful of Kosher salt to the water and put the rigatoni in the water and stir. Keep stirring for a moment to make sure none of the pasta sticks to the bottom of the pot. Cover, but watch carefully for the water to start boiling again. Once it's boiling, remove the cover and stir again. Continue to monitoring and stirring the pasta, uncovered - cooking time, 8-9 minutes. 

The sauce should have thickened by now. When the pasta is done, drain the water and pasta in a colander and pour the drained pasta directly into the large sauce pot and mix well. Turn off the flame. Allow the pasta to rest a moment and then serve immediately in bowls. 

You can sprinkle dried, seasoned, or toasted bread crumbs on top if so desired. Never cheese with fish. Absolute no-no!

Bon appetito!