It’s been a hot and sweltering summer. Yet one of the most popular dishes at D’Ambola’s Italian restaurant in Afton is the equally hot and spicy Alici con Bucatini Rigati. It must be the breezy mountain pass air that makes diners crave a warm dish.
Owner Phil D’Ambola says the recipe is easy to fix. “Eighty percent of the ingredients should be around the house,” he says. D’Ambola won’t substitute ingredients in the restaurant, but if pine nuts just aren’t for you, or red pepper flakes don’t agree with your tummy, you can always leave them out or add something in their place. But don’t go too far, or you’ll take away from the essence that is Alici con Bucatini Rigati!
So prepare to bring out the fancy table linens, light a few candles, and dress up the back porch for some tongue-sizzling Old-World-inspired cuisine.—Jennifer Pullinger
Alici con Bucatini Rigati
This dish cooks up fast, and the pasta only takes five minutes. So start the water for the pasta first.
1/2 cup pine nuts (pignoli)
2 Tbs. Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped coarsely
2 tins of flat fillets of anchovies in olive oil—drained, rinsed and finely chopped
1/2 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives
1/4 to 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and processed through a garlic press
1/2 cup Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (1/4 cup each)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 pound bucatini rigati
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
sea salt
1/2 cup dry white wine
ground pepper
Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot.
While you are waiting for the water to boil, toast the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant (about five minutes), then set aside.
Heat a large 12" skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and heat until warm. Add garlic and anchovies. Cook while stirring frequently until the garlic turns golden and the anchovies “melt” (about five minutes). Remove the pan from heat, add the raisins, wine, pignoli nuts, red pepper flakes and one tablespoon of parsley. Put the pan back on the heat and simmer for about five more minutes.
Add one tablespoon salt to pasta water. Cook the pasta al dente (about five minutes). Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to the pot. Add the mixture in the skillet to the pot along with the reserved cooking liquid. Squeeze the juice from one half lemon in the mixture, add the cheese, the rest of the parsley, sea salt and pepper to taste. Toss. Add more olive oil if you think the sauce is not loose enough. Toss again. Serve immediately.
D’Ambola recommends enjoying the dish with some crusty bread, a fresh salad and a crisp white wine.
