Just to give it an additional new twist, I have added lobster tails to kick things up a notch. Since this wonderful sauce is exciting on its own, the lobster is totally optional. Grilled or pan fried, the lobster tails are a great addition to this lightly anchovy flavored pasta sauce.
– 1 28-ounce can of Crushed Tomatoes
– 1 14.5-ounce can of Diced Tomatoes
– 1 cup fresh Chopped Onion
– 1/4 cup fresh Sliced or Chopped Garlic
– 1 2-ounce can of Anchovy Filets in Olive Oil
– 1/2 teaspoon Salt
– 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
– 1/2 teaspoon Crushed Dried Red Pepper
– 1/2 cup Sliced Black Olives
– 1/4 cup Sliced Green Olives with Pimientos
– 1/4-cup Capers
– 1/4 cup Olive Oil
– 2 tablespoons Fresh Chopped Oregano
– 2 tablespoons Fresh Chopped Basil
– 1 pound of Pasta: (Spaghetti, Linguine, Angel Hair, Ziti, or Farfalle all work)
Lobster Tails (Optional):
– 4 uncooked Lobster Tails
– 1/4 cup Olive Oil
Garnish (Optional):
– 2 tablespoons of additional fresh Sliced Basil
– Grated Parmesan Cheese
Directions:
Fill a large pot of water for pasta, cover, and put on medium high heat.
Chop the onions, garlic, basil, and oregano. In a medium large size pot add one quarter of a cup of olive oil, and the onions and garlic. Open the anchovy filets, and drain off the anchovy flavored olive oil into the pan as well. Sauté the onions and garlic until they start to soften. Add one half of the anchovy filets, sliced in quarters. As you stir the onions and garlic, slowly the anchovies will dissolve, and impart their flavor to the sauce.
When the onions and garlic are softened up but still have some crunch to them, add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, capers, black olives, green olives, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, oregano, and garlic to the pan, and stir over medium high heat until it begins to boil. Immediately turn down to a low temperature and continue to simmer.
If you are going to serve this spectacular pasta dish with lobster tails, using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the lobster tails in half from the fat meaty end all the way down the back to the tail.
By now the water should be boiling. As you drop the pasta in the water, start grilling the lobster tails. On a frying pan or grill pan, pour one-quarter cup of olive oil to prevent the lobster from sticking.
Turn on the heat under the pan to medium high, and when you can see the olive oil has waves of heat in it, place the lobster tails in the pan meat side down. Cook them for three minutes, until they have a nice sear on them. After three minutes turn them over, shell side down, and continue cooking. You will see the shells turn from green to red as they cook. If you have a lid for your frying or grill pan, cover the lobster tails, and continue cooking for three to four minutes. When the shells are red, and the exposed meat is seared, the lobster is done.
Test the pasta, and see if it has boiled to el dente consistency. When the pasta is done, drain and place the desired amount on dinner plates, and cover the pasta with sauce.
Optional: use the additional anchovy filets, cut into quarters or squares, and place them on top of the sauce and pasta as a garnish. Also add fresh sliced basil as a garnish as well. Serve it with grated parmesan cheese.
If you want, you can remove the lobster tails from the shell before you serve them. You can then place them back in the shells for a colorful serving effect. Arrange the lobster tails on the side of the plate and serve.
NOTE: In my mind, the best tool for slicing the lobster tails, the anchovies, the basil, and the fresh oregano, are kitchen scissors. This way these items will not be ripped or bruised.