Thread by @SHamiltonian

Authenticity is essential to mapo tofu. So this time I’m simply going to make something *delicious*, authenticity be damned. This is one of the tastiest tomato-based pasta dishes I’ve had. Here’s how to make strozzapreti with tomatoes, olives and anchovies. #EconCookingTwitter

Many Italians would balk at this dish. It’s more Italian-American, but we know from Paulie’s trip to the mother country that Italian-American =\= Italian. It’s a reminder that authenticity is really a myth. One nonna’s faith is another’s blasphemy. Deliciousness is what matters.

I’ve been with my wife for 17 years. The concept is completely alien to me, but there are a few dishes I make that I think would be terrific to cook for a date. This dish has the perfect blend of simple ingredients, hands-off cooking and stunning impact that’s sure to impress. 🔥

It starts with a simple tomato sauce. Mine is an adapted version of @kenjilopezalt’s slow-cooked tomato sauce. BTW, Serious Eats is, far and away, the best recipe website on the internet so if you don’t already frequent it, then rectify that immediately.

seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/0…

Mince 8 garlic cloves (microplane is best), and prep 1 tsp chili flakes, 1 tsp dried oregano (much less than the recipe suggests), and 1 can anchovies. These 4 simple ingredients will provide 90% of the flavor of this dish.

Also prep 1/4 cup EVOO (that’s how conceited people say “extra-virgin olive oil”), 60g butter, and 1 cup black olives (in my case pitted kalamata, but whatevs). Yes, I know they’re Greek. Remember: “authenticity be damned”. They’re delicious (I’m looking at you, @gabster0191).

Prep 4 x 28oz cans of whole tomatoes. There’s a bit of a wank that these *must* be DOP San Marzanos from Italy. I challenge you to prove that in a double-blind test. My fav are “San Marzano” but grown in the USA. Authenticity be damned. Crush with your hands while submerged or...

Heat the oil over medium heat in whatever saucepan you have handy, then add the butter. It will foam beautifully. Make sure the oil is not too hot as you don’t want the butter to brown.

Here’s where the smells start. Dear Lord. Add the garlic, and gently fry. Keep the fat cool enough so the garlic doesn’t brown. It should sizzle gently.

After 2 minutes or so, add the chili flakes and oregano. Fry for a few minutes. The smells will be intoxicating. Just wait until the anchovies go in...

Anchovy time. I add the whole can because I’m insane. You won’t want to add any salt. Even if you don’t love anchovies, their flavour isn’t really discernible in the end. They liquify, and just add a deeply savory/umami note. Then add the olives. Stir, stir, stir.

After a minute or so, pick yourself up off the floor after having passed out from the overwhelming smells emanating from the pan. Keep aside 3 cups of crushed tomatoes. I’ll explain later. Add the rest to the pan and stir to combine.

Cut a brown onion in half and bung it in, along with a roughly chopped, unpeeled carrot and a few stalks of fresh basil. Don’t fret—we’ll take these out later.

Stick a lid on, partly ajar, and whack it in the oven on 300f for 3-4 hours. Or really however long you have. I’ve done it for as little as an hour and it was totally fine.

While it’s in the oven, chop up some perfectly ripe tomatoes, tear some burrata (Trader Joe’s has a good one), pick some basil (baby leaves, you’ll use the big ones later), get some salt and the best olive oil you can afford, and whip up a caprese for your salivating guests. 🤤

After about 4 hours, take the pan out of the oven. It will look like this... Remove the onions, carrots, and basil stalks, and give it a good stir.

Add in the reserved tomatoes and give it another stir. Get a load of that colour contrast. The uncooked tomatoes add a bright, zingy freshness to the deep, dark slow-cooked tomatoes. Great idea, @kenjilopezalt. It really works.

Now the pasta. Strozzapreti. It means “priest strangler”. Apparently Tuscans aren’t fans of priests? Anyway, it’s a wonderful pasta with an interesting texture, and most importantly the sauce clings to it beautifully. Boil the pasta until just al dente (firmer than you think). 👌🏻

Finely chop some basil and parsley, and add to the sauce. Stir. You can put the lid back on to keep warm while the pasta boils.

While the pasta is boiling, marry a pastry chef who can whip you up a pan of the most incredible rosemary focaccia... honestly, I could eat the whole pan on my own.

When the pasta is just cooked, drain and add back to the pot it was boiled in. Add a couple of ladles of tomato sauce to achieve the desired consistency. Stir, stir, stir.

Ladle into pasta bowls and top with a mountain of Pecorino Romano. You can use Parmigiano-Reggiano but I like the clean, cooling creaminess you get from the pecorino, especially against the aggressive intensity of the tomato sauce. Pour a glass of hefty red. Serve. Eat. Die. 🍝😵