Symon's Linguine with Heirloom Tomato, Capers, Anchovies, and Chile

On a day like today, I thought we could all benefit from a picture of the one and only super smiley Iron Chef Michael Symon. This is a guy who really knows how to enjoy himself. His smile. His laugh. It's infectious. Doesn't he look like he would be fun to have around in the kitchen?

Imagine this. Michael Symon is standing in your kitchen. He's making his recipe for egg yolk pasta dough which contains nine egg yolks. (You know that's some delicious pasta). You smell breadcrumbs toasting on the stove and you see colorful summery heirloom tomatoes, lots of sliced garlic, deliciously salty and briny capers, and anchovies. Could it get any better? After all, isn't pasta the way to anyone's heart?

Yes. I'm convinced that pasta is the way to anyone's heart. Man, woman, child, and maybe even the family dog. If you aren't lucky enough to find Chef Michael Symon in your kitchen, then this recipe for Linguine with Heirloom Tomato, Capers, Anchovies, and Chile is the next best thing. You're really not settling for less, right? One doesn't settle for pasta. Pasta is so much more than a consolation prize.

Linguine with Heirloom Tomato, Capers, Anchovies, and Chile
Adapted from Live To Cook by Michael Symon
Serves 4-6
Kosher Salt
1 cup dried bread crumbs, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used one teaspoon)
3 garlic cloves, sliced (I say goodfellas thin)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I say live a little and add some more)
Egg Yolk Pasta Dough or one pound storebought linguine
1 large brandywine heirloom tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced (1 cup)
6 salt-packed anchovies, filleted, and minced
1 tablespoon salt-packed capers, rinsed and patted dry (I used 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I used 1/8 cup)
1/4 cup sliced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta and add salt until it tastes seasoned. Toast the bread crumbs in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing as needed, until lightly browned, about 3 - 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and sweat it for 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds.

Drop the pasta in the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 2 minutes for homemade.

Meanwhile, add the tomato, anchovies, and capers to the saute pan, bring to a simmer, and cook for 2 minutes, or until the tomato has released its juices and the anchovies have melted into the sauce. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the extra-virgin olive oil and parsley.

Strain the pasta and add it directly to the sauce. Toss well before dividing among four bowls. Top with the bread crumbs.

Notes/Results: Absolutely delicious! How could it not be? Fresh, summery, salty, spicy, light and totally addictive. I used regular store-bought pasta and reduced the olive oil for sauteing from 1 tablespoon down to 1 teaspoon. Instead of adding in 1/2 cup olive oil at the end, I reduced it down to 1/8 cup. This reduced amount of olive oil was more than enough. I would have loved to have made Symon's egg yolk pasta, but it's not really in the cards for me since I've been watching what I'm eating. Using the store-bought pasta helped to make this recipe healthier. If you're scared of anchovies, don't be. I like to use anchovy paste in place of real anchovies. All you need is 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste in place of 2 whole anchovies. For this recipe I used 1-1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste. I didn't even tell my daughter or husband. They didn't notice - at all!

This is my submission to this round of Symon Sundays hosted by the lovely Ashlee of Veggie by Season.

I'm also submitting this pasta to the wonderful Brenda of Brenda's Canadian Kitchen for her Cookbook Sundays roundup.