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Hot Pepper Penne

And a Zesty Caper and Anchovy Sauce

From Kyle Phillips, About.com

Hot peppers are perhaps the most common flavoring for pasta, and here mesh with a zesty caper and anchovy sauce.
Penne al Peperoncino: Hot Pepper Penne add a delightful bite to creamy sauces.

Penne al Peperoncino: Hot Pepper Penne add a delightful bite to creamy sauces.

Among the flavored pastas, hot pepper pasta is perhaps the most popular, and it works very well with this zesty caper and anchovy sauce.

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Substitutions: Other kinds of pasta made with hot peppers

A sauce? Hot Pepper Penne with a Zesty Sauce. To serve 4 you'll need:
  • 500 g (1 pound) hot pepper penne
  • 4 salted anchovies of the kind sold in the deli section, rinsed, boned, and minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons capers (salted will be better than pickled), rinsed
  • A half cup pitted black olives, chopped (optional)
  • A small bunch of parsley, minced
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Salt
Set pasta water to boil, and when it does salt it and cook the pasta.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the garlic until it becomes golden (don't let it brown). Add the anchovies and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring them about. Remove and discard the garlic; stir in the capers, parsley, and olives, if you're including them, check seasoning, and cook a minute or two. When the penne are just shy of being al dente, drain them and turn them into the skillet with the sauce while they are still dripping just a little. Cook over high heat, stirring, for a minute, by which time they will be done, and serve them at once.

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