spaghetti with peppers and tomatoes

spaghetti con peperoni e pomodori

for 6

4 peppers, red and/or yellow, grilled (see here)

1 kg ripe tomatoes, skinned (see here) and hard cores discarded

400 g spaghetti

olive oil

6 garlic cloves, peeled, 3 finely chopped

6 salted anchovies, prepared (see here), roughly chopped

2 dried red chillies, crumbled

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

50 g salted capers, prepared (see here)

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 ciabatta loaf, bottom crust removed

3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, thick-bottomed saucepan, add the chopped garlic and cook briefly until light brown. Add the anchovies and chilli, stir to blend, then add the tomatoes and 1 large teaspoon of salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Add the capers. Peel the peppers, discard the skins and seeds and roughly chop the flesh. Add to the tomato sauce. Mix together and add the vinegar.

Tear the ciabatta into pieces and pulse-chop to coarse breadcrumbs in the food processor. Heat 100 ml olive oil in a small pan. When hot, not smoking, add the whole garlic, turn the heat down and cook until the garlic browns. Discard the garlic. Add the breadcrumbs to the flavoured oil, stir and cook for 2–3 minutes until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain and add to the sauce. Stir in the parsley, test for seasoning and serve sprinkled with the breadcrumbs.