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Ingredients
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Sauce
Protein
Finish & Serve
Method
Sauce
- 1
- 2
Sweat aromatics
Heat a large, deep sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Once shimmering, add the sliced garlic and chopped shallot. Cook gently, stirring, until the shallot is translucent and the garlic is fragrant and just starting to color, about 2–3 minutes. Add the anchovy fillets (if using) and use the back of a spoon to dissolve them into the oil.
- 3
Build heat and deglaze
Add the crushed red pepper flakes and stir for 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Increase heat to medium-high and let the wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.
- 4
Add tomato base
Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to remove the raw edge. Add the crushed tomatoes, capers, and olives. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Season with 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and the pinch of sugar if needed. Let simmer, partially covered, for 12–15 minutes to concentrate flavors.
- 5
Finish sauce with herbs
Stir in most of the torn basil and chopped parsley (reserve a little for garnish). Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes if you want it spicier. Keep sauce warm over very low heat while you prepare the protein and pasta.
Protein
- 6
Season protein
Pat the shrimp (or fish) dry with paper towels. Season lightly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- 7
Cook protein in sauce
Bring the sauce up to a gentle simmer. Slide the shrimp or fish pieces into the simmering sauce in a single layer, nestling them so they are mostly submerged. Cook shrimp 2–3 minutes per side (total 4–6 minutes) until opaque and just cooked through; cook fish chunks 4–6 minutes depending on thickness until just flaky. Avoid overcooking.
- 8
Lift protein and keep warm
When cooked, remove the pan from heat and transfer the seafood to a plate to rest briefly. Keep the sauce at a very low simmer while you finish the pasta so flavors remain hot.
Finish & Serve
- 9
Cook pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just shy of al dente according to package directions (usually 1–2 minutes less). Reserve about 250 ml of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- 10
Marry pasta and sauce
Return the pan with the sauce to medium heat. Add the drained pasta directly into the sauce along with about half of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously (or use tongs) so the pasta absorbs the sauce and the mixture becomes silky. Add more pasta water a little at a time if the sauce seems too thick. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil to gloss the pasta.
- 11
Reintroduce protein
Nestle the cooked shrimp or fish back into the pasta and sauce just to heat through, 1 minute. Check seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes to taste.
- 12