Spaghetti Baked With A Gutsy Roasted Tomato Sauce

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 3/4 cups canned tomato puree
• 4 coarsely chopped anchovy fillets
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 -2 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon chopped wild fennel (may substitute fennel fronds or 1/4 t. ground fennel seeds)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• crushed red pepper flakes (a pinch or two)
• coarsely ground fresh pepper
• 1/3 cup homemade unflavored breadcrumbs
• 8 ounces dried spaghetti

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350°; bring a big pot of water to a boil.
• 2 combine the tomato puree, anchovies, ¼ cup olive oil, garlic, parsley, fennel, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper in a large ceramic casserole dish; bake for 30 minutes.
• 3 toast the bread crumbs by heating the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a small saute pan.
• 4 when the oil is very hot, toss in the bread crumbs and stir for 1-2 minutes, or until they are browned a bit, but not too dark.
• 5 transfer immediately to a small bowl; set aside.
• 6 when the tomatoes have been in the oven for 25 minutes, generously salt the boiling pasta water and drop in the spaghetti.
• 7 cook, stirring often, to parboil, about 5 minutes; drain spaghetti, reserving ½ cup water.
• 8 remove the tomatoes from the oven; toss the spaghetti on top of the tomatoes.
• 9 add ¼ cup reserved cooking water and toss together; there should be plenty of moisture in the dish.
• 10 if not, add a tablespoon or more pasta water and toss again.
• 11 bake for 5 minutes until bubbly and hot; serve right away with toasted bread crumbs sprinkled on top.