Ingredients
- Spaghetti
- Cherry tomatoes
- Carolina Reaper powder No. 17
- Black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVO)
- Onion
- Anchovies
- Fresh basil
Procedure
Start by preparing the onion: peel it, cut it in half, and slice it thinly. Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut three-quarters of them in half, while the remaining ones should be quartered. Prepare the anchovies for the final garnish by cutting 8 of them into diamonds and setting them aside.
In a skillet, heat a drizzle of oil and add the onion, chili, and the remaining anchovies, along with a few whole basil leaves. Cover the skillet and let it stew over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend the flavors. While the base is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until just under al dente.
After 15 minutes, raise the heat and add the halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet, then remove the whole basil leaves and add a couple of ladles of pasta cooking water to keep the sauce soft and enveloping. Drain the spaghetti when it's al dente and transfer it directly into the skillet with the sauce, continuing to cook and adding more cooking water if necessary until you achieve a creamy consistency.
Once the pasta is ready, tear some fresh basil and add it along with a sprinkle of black pepper. Combine with the quartered cherry tomatoes and finish with a drizzle of raw olive oil. Serve the spaghetti hot, garnishing each portion with the diamond-shaped anchovies and a light dusting of Carolina Reaper powder for an extra kick of spiciness.
