RECIPE 5: Roasted Tomato and Anchovy Bucatini

It's a little over half a week since we started self quarantining due to COVID-19, my best friend is in the hospital RIGHT NOW having her baby girl and daycare is closed... It's officially time for pasta! Paulo and I chose Alison Roman's Roasted Tomato and Anchovy Bucatini for recipe number five from Dining In.

You guys! Although this recipe is simple, the flavor of this pasta is COMPLEX and keeps giving you more every bite. With supplies running low, I roasted cherry tomatoes and spaghetti instead of using medium size tomatoes and bucatini. I'll try larger tomatoes next time (think vine-ripe morsels or Romas). Don't get me wrong the cherry tomatoes roasted up nice and jammy, and after just over three hours started getting a little crispy, which gave the dish some added flavor... I just wonder if a larger tomato would yield more liquid for the sauce. 

My one worry for this recipe was the anchovies because I thought it may make the dish a bit fishy. BUT worry no more because I'm here to tell you, the anchovies are the perfect addition and the secret behind that oh so good complexness. The little fish literally melt into sauce. Don't believe me? Henry, our almost two year old, loved every bite - even with the fish.

PRO TIPS: Roast the tomatoes the night before if you're short on dinner prep time because roasting takes three and a half hours (or skip it and crush up a 28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes.) I also saved the remaining olive oil from the roasted tomatoes to saute the red onion.

Ready to get cooking? Catch the recipe and a video from Alison herself HERE. And tell me... What are you eating?!

P.S. Wondering about the puzzle pieces? Two words: social distancing.