Your Buttered Pasta Is Lacking Pizzazz. Anchovies Are The Fix

When creamy butter melts onto al dente strands of pasta, it's pure heaven for the taste buds. These two simple ingredients make a comforting and indulgent dish that basically everyone loves. The only thing missing is a contrasting pop of flavor to add excitement to this classic pairing. Fortunately, there are many ways to elevate buttered noodles. For those who like a particularly potent flavor kick, look no further than anchovies. This one addition is enough to transform your buttered pasta into a remarkably flavorful main course.

Contrary to popular belief, anchovies don't taste all that fishy. What they offer instead is a distinctive saltiness backed by a slightly funky and umami-rich note. This is very different from the simple richness of butter. Don't let this deter you from using them, however, as the stark difference between these ingredients is what makes the dish so outstanding. No longer is it just a one-dimensional blend of buttery and mildly savory notes. The fish gives it a briny, meaty edge, making each bite much more captivating.

When it comes to anchovies, you've got plenty of options to choose from. They're often packed in either oil or salt, and sometimes mashed into a paste. The salt-packed variety, while delectable, requires a multi-step preparation of rinsing off the salt and removing the bones. Anchovy paste is a serious flavor enhancer, but you may not always be able to find it. That leaves us with oil-packed anchovies, which might be the most ideal pick: They can be used straight from the tin yet still offer tremendous flavor. You can even preserve the oil and stir it into the pasta for a stronger taste.

The amount of anchovies you use will vary according to recipe and your personal preference. For a pound of pasta, you may need between 8 and 10 filets, or possibly more depending on how pronounced you want the anchovy taste to be. Simply add them once you've melted the butter and break them apart for a few minutes until they dissolve into tiny brown specks. After this, add a bit of pasta water and then the pasta itself. Toss everything over medium heat until the sauce thickens into a creamy consistency, and you're all set.

Anchovies can also be a stepping stone for other creative endeavors with your buttered pasta. With its strong briny base, this fish fares quite well with other salty or similarly acidic foods. Lime and lemon never disappoint, but don't forget about olives and capers, either. Just a sprinkle of either is enough to elevate the flavors even further. Want to take the texture up a notch too? In that case, give the capers a quick fry for crispiness; you can also use toasted breadcrumbs or fried cheese crumbles. If it's a bit of spiciness you seek, red pepper flakes or chili flakes never disappoint. Garlic and onion are foolproof choices for pairing, but you might find fennel seeds' sweet undertone to be quite refreshing against the increased spice.

Want to make the pasta look more appealing and eye-catching? Colorful vegetables are the answer. While tangy tomatoes are the obvious choice to match the anchovies, feel free to experiment with greens like spinach, broccoli, or kale for an earthy touch. Protein — seafood especially — is quite lovely as well. A couple of squid pieces or plump, sweet shrimp are more than enough to give the dish a restaurant-worthy quality.