Pasta con Alici (Spaghetti with Anchovy Recipe)
Pasta con Alici is that pantry-friendly, five-minute alchemy where silky anchovy fillets melt into extra-virgin olive oil, a whisper of red pepper flakes, and a splash of pasta water to create a glossy, clinging sauce. Breadcrumbs go golden brown with lemon zest for crunch, while sweet golden raisins and toasted pine nuts deliver that salty-sweet snap Sicily is so famous for. Toss until the pasta cooks to al dente and the whole pan smells like a cozy trattoria on the Amalfi Coast—buon appetito.
If this pasta recipe sounds strange, trust me.. it’s delicious! If you love this, you’ll also be into my tomato sauce with anchovy, where a few tinned anchovies deepen a simple pomodoro into a weeknight pasta dish with unexpected depth of flavor. And when you’re craving something a little luxe, slide over to my lobster spaghetti—sweet lobster, a hint of acidity from lemon juice, and a cherry tomato sauce that makes it feel restaurant-level without fuss. Looking for something without fish? Try my aglio e olio which is garlicky and light and is an easy dish you can make for a weeknight (kids will love it). I also have a really delicious rigatoni carbonara with guanciale that everyone loves!
Recipe Highlights: Pasta con Alici
- Inspiration – A Sicilian classic that celebrates pesce azzurro and stale bread by turning pantry staples into a piatto semplice with serious character.
- Best Served For – Date night in 20 minutes, a cozy Christmas Eve “seven fishes” moment, or any weeknight when the pantry saves dinner.
- What Makes It Special – The salty-sweet balance: anchovy richness and a handful of breadcrumbs with lemon zest + plumped raisins + toasted pine nuts, all brought together with a little water from the pot for a glossy finish.
- Secret Sauce – A few drops of colatura di alici (or even a dot of Asian fish sauce) at the end amplifies umami without making the pasta taste “fishy.”
Ingredients Notes
- Anchovy fillets – Choose high-quality tinned anchovies packed in oil; they should smell briny, not sharp. They dissolve over low heat into the base. Use a wooden spoon to mash so they melt smoothly.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – This is your sauce, so use one you love. Warm it over gentle heat; medium heat is your ceiling so the garlic never burns.
- Bread crumbs – Coarse fresh crumbs from stale bread toast up lighter and crisper than the jarred kind. Finish with lemon zest off the heat so the citrus stays bright.
- Golden raisins – Plump in hot water (or Marsala) so they’re juicy and don’t steal moisture from the sauce later. Drain well before tossing in.
- Pine nuts – Toast to just golden in a dry pan; they should be fragrant, not dark. Their fat adds roundness that balances the salty anchovy base.
- Lemon zest & parsley – Zest provides lift; parsley adds freshness at the end so the pasta feels lively, not heavy.
Suggested Ingredient Substitutions and Additions
- Swap the nuts – Use chopped pistachios or almonds if pine nuts aren’t handy; both love anchovy and lemon.
- Make it saucier – Add a spoonful of tomato sauce to the pan with the anchovies for a quick alla puttanesca-adjacent vibe (add a few cherry tomatoes and cook for a pair of minutes on high heat to blister).
- Add veg – Fold in ribbons of sautéed Swiss chard or thinly sliced fennel when you transfer pasta; the anise note is killer with oily fish.
How to Make Pasta con Alici
- Plump the raisins: Place golden raisins in a small heatproof bowl. Cover with hot water (or hot dry Marsala) and steep about 10 minutes until soft; drain and set aside.
2. Toast the bread crumbs: In a small skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add coarse fresh bread crumbs and toast, stirring, until golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Season lightly and combine breadcrumbs with kosher salt, transfer to a bowl, and stir in lemon zest.
3. Create the anchovy-garlic base: In a large skillet, warm the remaining olive oil over low heat. Add sliced garlic; cook just until edges turn light golden, about 1 minute. Add anchovy fillets and red pepper flakes; mash with a wooden spoon until the anchovies dissolve into the oil.
4. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and cook long pasta until just shy of al dente per package instructions. Reserve a cup of pasta water; drain pasta.
5. Toss it all together: Transfer pasta to the anchovy skillet. Add a splash of cup of pasta water and toss over medium heat until glossy. Add the plumped raisins and toasted pine nuts; toss again, adding a little water as needed so the sauce clings to the cooked spaghetti.
6. Finish & serve: Divide into warm bowls. Shower with the lemony bread crumbs and scatter parsley. Finish with black pepper and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.
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Pasta con Alici Recipe Card
Pasta con Alici (Anchovy Pasta)
Equipment
- Large pot
- large skillet
- Small skillet
- Heatproof bowl
- Fine-mesh strainer
- tongs
- wooden spoon
- Microplane zester
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Chef’s knife + cutting board
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti or bucatini
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 3 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 8 –10 high-quality anchovy fillets preferably packed in oil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1/2 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- Flaky sea salt to finish
Instructions
Plump the golden raisins
- Place the raisins in a small heatproof bowl. Cover with hot water (or use hot dry Marsala for extra flavor) and let sit for 10 minutes until they’re soft, juicy, and slightly swollen. Drain well and set aside.
Toast the breadcrumbs
- In a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring often, until golden and crisp, 3–4 minutes. Season lightly with salt, transfer to a bowl, and stir in the lemon zest. Set aside.
Make the pasta
- In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook just until golden at the edges, about 1 minute. Add the anchovies and red pepper flakes. Use the back of a spoon to mash the anchovies into the oil until they dissolve into a silky sauce.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Transfer the pasta directly to the anchovy skillet. Add about 1/4 cup pasta water and toss to coat. Add the plumped raisins and toasted pine nuts. Toss again, adding more pasta water as needed to create a glossy, clinging sauce.
- Divide the pasta between warm bowls. Top generously with the lemony breadcrumbs, scatter parsley over the top, and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.
Notes
Expert tips from my kitchen
- Heat control is everything – Keep the oil at gentle heat so the garlic turns light golden, never brown; bitterness ruins the base.
- Salt smart – The sauce is naturally salty, so season pasta water like the sea but taste before adding any extra at the end.
- Water = sauce – Use pasta water in small additions; emulsification is the difference between oily and glossy.
- Finish off-heat – Toss in crumbs and parsley at the end so they stay crisp and fresh.
- Flavor bomb option – A few drops of colatura di alici (or fish sauces, used lightly) right before serving deepens savor without shouting.
- Pan matters – A wide large skillet gives room to toss so strands coat evenly; crowding breaks the emulsion.
Serving suggestions
- Wine pairing – Pour a crisp Sicilian Grillo or a lean Vermentino; both slice through the richness and love lemon zest and oily fish.
- Add a green – Serve with shaved fennel and orange salad or simple bitter greens with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.
- Make it a menu – Start with marinated olives, follow with this pasta dish, and finish with a citrusy granita.
- Texture play – Keep extra bread crumbs at the table for a final sprinkle; the contrast makes each bite pop.
Storage instructions
- Cool, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently in a large skillet over low heat with a splash of pasta water or little water and a thread of olive oil until loosened and glossy.
- Keep bread crumbs separate at room temp; re-crisp in a dry pan for a minute before serving.
- This pasta isn’t ideal for freezing; the sauce and crumbs lose their texture.