Mediterranean anchovy pasta salad

A colourful pasta salad with peppers, tomatoes, olives, herbs and a handful of salt-cured anchovies mashed into the dressing for a deep, briny umami hit. Great for picnics and barbecues, and a perfect match for a chilled glass of dry white wine.

Ingredients (serves about 4)

• Gluten
• Fish
• Sulphites

• 200 g short pasta (e.g. gnocchetti sardi, fusilli or penne)
• 1 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
• 2 anchovy fillets in oil (about 8 g), drained
• 100 g red pointed bell pepper
• 100 g orange bell pepper
• 160 g cherry tomatoes (preferably mixed colours)
• 80 g black olives, pitted
• 60 g cucumber
• 1 spring onions
• 2 tbsp chives, cut into fine rings
• 12 fresh basil leaves
• 1.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 0.5 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 2.5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• (optional) 0.5 tbsp black olive tapenade
• 0.5 tsp salt (the anchovies bring plenty of their own)
• 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Preparation

1. Cook the pasta. Cook 200 g of short pasta in plenty of salted water according to the package directions. About 3 minutes before the end of the cooking time, drop in 1 unpeeled garlic clove. Drain, rinse briefly with cold water and leave to cool for at least 1 hour. Fish out the garlic clove and set it aside.

2. Marinate the spring onions. Slice 1 spring onions into thin rings. Combine them in a small bowl with the white wine vinegar and the sherry vinegar and leave to marinate for 15 minutes — this takes the sharp edge off the onions.

3. Chop the vegetables. Cut the red pointed bell pepper and the orange bell pepper into small cubes. Quarter or eighth the cherry tomatoes depending on size. Finely dice the cucumber (seeds and all). Roughly chop the black olives.

4. Make the anchovy dressing. Squeeze the cooled garlic out of its skin into a mortar (or onto a board, to mash with the flat of a knife). Add 2 drained anchovy fillets and a small pinch of salt, then mash everything into a smooth paste — the anchovies should dissolve almost completely. Stir in the marinated spring onions and, if using, the tapenade. Slowly whisk in 2.5 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil until the dressing emulsifies.

5. Combine everything. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and olives. Finely chop the basil leaves and chives and fold them in. Pour over the anchovy dressing and toss thoroughly so every piece is coated.

6. Let it rest. Season carefully with freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of cayenne, then taste before adding more salt — the anchovies and olives may already have brought enough. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving. Taste again just before serving and adjust salt, pepper and a splash of vinegar if needed.

Notes

The quality of the anchovies makes or breaks this version — look for salt-cured fillets in good olive oil (Spanish or Italian), not the pale soft ones in cheap sunflower oil. If you can find them, the double-cured Cantabrian anchovies are worth the splurge. Don't rinse them; just drain off the oil.

The salad gets better as it sits — ideally make it the day before so the flavours have time to mingle. Bring it back to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so the olive oil is fragrant again. A handful of capers, some diced mozzarella or feta, or a few sun-dried tomatoes all work well as additions. For a vegan version, drop the anchovies and use the original mediterranean pasta salad recipe instead.