June 14, 2008

Fine lines for anchovies

I have never cooked with anchovies before. Brandon announced that he hates it, and my only experience with it is that it's on my pizza (back in the days) or that it's a component of my cesar salad.

But after I drooled over the Fettuccine with Tomatoes and Crispy Capers recipe in my food porn, and having watched Giada cooks with it many times, I decided that it's time to crack a can open and dive in.

I followed every instructions...except the tomatoes. With the tomato scares, I halved grape tomatoes and tossed them in instead.

The crispy capers, I TOTALLY adore. I can snack on those crunchy, tangy beads all day. The overall flavors of the dish was delicious except for one minor flaw.

While flavorful, you can't eat the pasta with the prosciutto together. Too damn salty. And while the pasta by itself tastes glorious and flavorful, I believe there is just too much salt over all because Brandon and I both experiences some kind of mouth pain afterward. My gum was raw and his mouth seemed to have blistered.

Being the first time cooking with anchovies, I wondered if 4 fillets were too many when you put it together with salty prosciutto AND capers.

That said, I do love the overall flavors. Perhaps next time I won't use too many anchovies and might just omit the prosciutto. Or I just have to get the prosciutto from an Italian deli like I did last time as the Vons brand ones seems to be a lot saltier.

But I won't be cooking this for Brandon again. Now that he finds out anchovies are involved in this. ;-)

1 comment:

me said...

I love to batter anchovy and fry. Serve with squeeze lemon. Yum.

I made green goddess dressing at home and at work before.

http://www.culinarycafe.com/Salads/Orig_Green_Goddess_Dressing.html

If you like caesar salad, this is better. Adapt recipe above by also adding chopped fresh taragon or you can use taragon white wine vinegar and add minced garlic. This dessing is so good with Romaine. And parmesan crisp. Use day old french bread, thin slice it (very thin). Then brush with olive oil and sprinkle grated parmesan on top. Bake in oven at 350 degree for less than 4 min. Just check it coz it burns fast.