Pasta Trigiani

My friend David Trigiani is a dual-citizen Italian and a lover of all things— food, wine, design, and women— that emanate from that country. He has taught me numerous Italian dishes in his home in Jackson, Mississippi. Many came from his mother’s kitchen in his childhood home in Pennsylvania, others he learned on his many travels through Italy. David joined us for eight of the 10 weeks we spent covering the country and served as an able and well-informed tour guide. Most times he had his own room in a villa or hotel room, but occasionally he had to bunk with Wyatt. My wife, Jill went to deliver laundry to their rooms one morning and noticed a strange phenomenon that followed the two throughout the journey. David, a fastidious and longtime bachelor, kept an immaculate room. The bed was always made, clothes were folded, and all of his toiletries were lined up and in their place. Wyatt, on the other hand was… well let’s just say he’s a true artist. We started calling them “Felix and Oscar.” This recipe is one that Felix has made for me dozens of times. I make it often, too. People who think they hate anchovies usually never know they are in the dish as they dissolve in the cooking process.1 lb. Dry angel hair pasta 1 gallon Water ¼ cup Kosher salt 1 ½ cups Extra virgin olive oil 3 TB Garlic, minced 2 each 2 oz. tins anchovies (about 3 per person) ¼ tsp Crushed red pepper 2 TB Reserved pasta water ¼ cup Romano Pecorino, grated In a large skillet over very low heat, warm the oil and garlic being very careful not to burn. Allow the oil and garlic to infuse for 10 minutes. Again, be very careful not to burn or even brown the garlic. Simply remove the skillet from the heat if you feel it is too hot and allow to cool slightly for 3-4 minutes before returning to the heat. Add the anchovies and let steep for an additional 5 minutes (they will dissolve). Fold in the crushed red pepper, hot angel hair pasta, reserved pasta water and cheese, combining thoroughly. Divide among 6-8 serving bowls.