Best pub chef in UK shares amazing cheap pasta recipe
Every Wednesday we ask Michelin chefs to pick their favourite Cheap Eats where they live and when they cook at home. This week we speak to Dave Wall, head chef at the UK's number one ranked gastropub, The Unruly Pig in Suffolk.
Hi Dave, can you tell us your favourite places in Suffolk where you can get a meal for two for less than £40?
Honey + Harvey. A cracking spot for breakfast, brunch or lunch. They have the most delicious coffee and a cracking full English, the vibe is super-chilled and laidback and I always feel so relaxed there.
Lark. A beautiful little independent restaurant in Bury St Edmunds with the most incredible selection of small plates and top-drawer cooking. Admittedly, I find myself spending a fair bit more than £40 at Lark because I love James Carn's cooking so much that I end up going way over the top and ordering far too many dishes.
What's your go-to cheap meal at home?
Anchovy pasta is one. I get that anchovy is often considered a Marmite ingredient. I love them, but if you are in the "hate" camp, then please bear with me, as I want to persuade you to give these versatile little wonders a second look (and perhaps not tar all anchovies with the same brush).
My recipe below uses both brown and brined anchovies. It is an easier but still utterly delicious version of the dish I've served at The Unruly Pig (which also comes with an oyster velouté). This is comfort food at its best. Buon appetito!
Sauce
- 250g butter
- 250g water
- 70g brown anchovies (ideally Cantabrian)
- 1 clove garlic
- 30g double cream
- 25g of brined anchovies
Add all the ingredients to a pan. Bring to a slow simmer on a low heat. Once the mixture starts to boil, remove, and transfer to blender. Blend for two minutes until the mixture is well emulsified. Set aside.
Pangrattato
Three bread slices, crusts removed (staler the better)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lemon zest
- Pinch salt & pepper
Blend all the ingredients in food processor, making sure the crumb is fine. On a low heat, gently toast the crumbs until they become golden.
Spaghetti
- 125 g of fresh spaghetti per person
- Grated Parmesan, brined anchovy, celery leaf to garnish
Gently the cook the pasta in simmering boiling water, add plenty of salt to the pasta water so it tastes like sea water. Cook for 1-2 minutes - or to instructions if using dried.
Bring it all together
Meanwhile, gently heat the anchovy pasta sauce in a large pan so it becomes warm. Be careful not to boil. Once the pasta is cooked, gently remove and put it straight in to the warmed anchovy sauce. Add a splash of the pasta water to retain some of the starch (as this will help thicken your sauce).
Gently cook the pasta in the anchovy sauce until it becomes thick and creamy, and the sauce coats the pasta. Serve into a bowl and add the Parmesan, fresh anchovies and celery leaf on top.
Generously sprinkle the pasta with the golden pangrattato to add a wonderful texture and crunch.
We've spoken to lots of top chefs and bloggers - check out their cheap eats from around the country here...