Summary of "Spaghetti with anchovies | Jacques Pépin Cooking At Home | KQED"

Spaghetti with Anchovies — Jacques Pépin (Cooking at Home, KQED)

A simple anchovy‑and‑garlic pasta from Jacques Pépin. Serves about 2 (can stretch to 2–3 depending on appetite).

Cook the pasta
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti to your preferred doneness (Jacques says 11–15 minutes depending on texture preference).
Make the anchovy‑garlic sauce
- Place the anchovy fillets (with their oil) in a microwave-safe container.
- Crush and add 3 garlic cloves (about 1–1½ tbsp).
- Add half a jalapeño (adjust after testing its heat).
- Add ~2 tablespoons grated Parmesan and ~2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Briefly microwave the mixture to cook the garlic and meld the anchovies — Jacques indicates 1 to 1½ minutes.

Note: subtitles also include a conflicting “10 minutes” remark, but the intended short cook time is about 1–1½ minutes.

Reserve pasta water and drain
- Just before draining, scoop out and set aside about 1/2 cup of the hot pasta cooking water.
- Drain the spaghetti.
Combine and finish
- Return the drained pasta to the pot or into the container with the sauce and stir to combine thoroughly.
- Use some of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta.
- Stir until well incorporated; if the pasta sits a few minutes the water will evaporate, so adjust before serving.
Garnish and serve
- Top with chopped parsley, remaining anchovies/garlic (if any), a sprinkle of Parmesan, and a little extra oil if desired.
- Serve immediately.

Test the jalapeño for heat before adding the planned amount — heat can vary widely.
Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta cooking water to adjust sauce consistency and help the sauce cling to the spaghetti.
The brief microwave step is a shortcut to “cook” the garlic and meld flavors — keep the time short to avoid overcooking garlic.
Chop/cut and stir the anchovies so they melt into the pasta rather than remaining large pieces.
If the pasta sits, the water will evaporate and the sauce can tighten up — toss and serve promptly or re‑loosen with reserved water.

Adding too much jalapeño without testing (may be too hot).
Letting the pasta sit too long after mixing so the sauce dries out — use reserved water to loosen if needed.
Overcooking the garlic — use a short microwave step to cook it just enough.