Fried Caper and Garlic Pasta
This fried caper and garlic pasta amps up the classic aglio e olio version with roasted garlic, a bit of anchovy, and fried capers for an easy any-night-of-the-week dinner.
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Fried Caper and Garlic Pasta
This fried caper and garlic pasta recipe is a simple twist on my linguine aglio e olio with roasted garlic, which in itself is a twist on the classic version. Some time back when I had family in for the holidays, I planned to make aglio e olio but was inspired at the last minute to toss in some anchovies and capers I had on hand. And that’s the rather mundane story of how this fried caper and garlic pasta came to be, but it’s pretty delicious and has allowed me to add another dish to my culinary repertoire!
Making my standard panko breadcrumb topping for it was a natural addition because sometimes I feel it’s wrong to grate cheese over pasta when it involves fish, even if it’s just a couple of anchovy fillets like it is here. But I do love the crunch of toasted panko, so I’m not shedding any tears over possibly never dusting this particular pasta with cheese. However, you can definitely do so, if you’d like.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Fresh Garlic
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Panko Breadcrumbs
- Granulated Garlic
- Linguine (or other long pasta)
- Capers
- Anchovies
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Italian Flat-leaf Parsley
Why You’ll Love This Fried Caper and Garlic Pasta
It amps up the traditional aglio e olio version: This version already deviates from the traditional one by using roasted garlic, but the anchovy and fried capers add a new dimension of flavor to this classic dish.
You might end up liking anchovies and capers (if you don’t already): You don’t really taste the anchovies in this recipe because all they really do is add a depth of flavor. Don’t like capers either? If you find them too salty, they mellow a bit in this recipe because you dry them first in a paper towel to remove the moisture (which, in turn, removes much of the salt).
Pro Tips
Use the same pan to toast the panko and fry the capers: After toasting the panko, transfer them to a bowl, wipe down the pan to remove any remaining breadcrumbs, and use it to fry the capers and heat through the accompanying ingredients.
Suggestions for Variations and Substitutions
- Add some olives if you have some you’ve been wanting to use up.
- Finish off the dish with some grated parmesan (I always recommend Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano instead), if you don’t think it’s sacrilegious to add cheese to fish (anchovies).
Leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and consume within three days. I don’t recommend freezing this pasta.
For similar garlic-infused recipes, try the one on which the above is based: linguine aglio e olio with roasted garlic.
You might also like linguine with clams, anchovies, and breadcrumbs, and pasta with broccoli and anchovy breadcrumbs.
Fried Caper and Garlic Pasta
Ingredients
For the Roasted Garlic
- 2 whole garlic heads
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
For the Panko Topping
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
For the Linguine
- 16 ounces linguine or other long pasta
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained and blotted dry with a paper towel
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Handful of Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Peel away the loose skins from both heads of garlic, and use a knife to slice off about 1/4" to 1/2" from the top of each. Place the garlic heads on a sheet of aluminum foil, and drizzle about 1 teaspoon of olive oil over each one and a sprinkle of salt. Wrap them tightly in the foil and place them on a small aluminum pan and in the oven.
- Roast the garlic for 45 minutes; they should be completely softened when done. Once cooled, squeeze the roasted garlic from each head by pressing from the bottom with your hands — or the flat side of a butter knife — and slowly pushing upward. Make sure to squeeze every last bit, careful to discard any loose skins.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, make the panko by heating the olive oil in a large pan on medium-low. Throw in a couple of granules of the panko; when they start to simmer, add the remaining panko, the granulated garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper and toast until the panko is golden brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a plate, and wipe down the pan carefully with a paper towel to remove any remaining crumbs.
- Heat the 1/2 cup of olive oil in the same pan on medium. Add the capers and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to brown. Add the anchovies, roasted garlic, and red pepper flakes, and press the anchovies and garlic into the oil as they heat through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. Toss the pasta with the caper and roasted garlic mixture and some parsley. Add some pasta water if it looks a little dry. Serve the pasta in plates or bowls and top it with the panko and more parsley, if desired.