Fresh Bucatini with Anchovies & Crispy Crumbs

Anchovies melt down to form the sauce for this fabulous fish pasta. Toasted breadcrumbs add texture, fresh dill folds in fragrance, and a big squeeze of lemon gives the whole dish a lift.

What You Get

Fresh bucatini 

Red onion

Garlic 

Dill 

Anchovy fillets 

Panko bread crumbs 

Lemon 

Mixed greens 

What You’ll Need

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive oil

Chile flakes (optional)

Makes 3 servings

30 minutes active 

30 minutes total 

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until almost al dente, 5 minutes or 1 minute less than the package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss to keep the strands from sticking.

Step 2

Meanwhile, thinly slice the red onion. Chop 2 cloves of garlic. Roughly chop ½ cup dill fronds, discarding the stems. Drain and finely chop half of the anchovies, reserving the rest for another use.

Step 3

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add 1 cup of the panko, season with salt and pepper, and stir until toasted and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the dill. Transfer the crumbs onto a plate. 

Step 4

Wipe out the pan, return it to medium-high heat, and warm 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the red onion and sauté until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in the anchovies and cook until they start to melt into the onions, 2 minutes. Add the garlic and a pinch of chile flakes, if you want a kick, and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Step 5

Add the pasta to the pan, along with the reserved pasta water, and toss to coat, 2 minutes. Drizzle with the juice of ½ lemon and fold in half of the dill bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Step 6

Place the greens in a bowl, drizzle with the juice of the remaining ½ lemon and 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. 

Step 7

Heap the fishy pasta into shallow bowls and sprinkle generously with the remaining crumbs. Grind with pepper and serve warm, with the salad on the side.