Classic Italian Spaghetti in Anchovy Fillets

We had a grand shopping trip to Whole foods and Trader Joe's last Sunday after church and it felt like I was in food heaven. I'm a sucker for anything Italian and my bucket list includes a trip to Italy of course! What better way to appreciate Italian culture is to actually start learning to make their signature pasta dish. It's my ultimate go-to recipe. I think I've said this before that I am not a fan of our typical Filipino spaghetti. Not that I am a hypocrite, it is just not my kind of sauce. So here, I used canned tomatoes instead of fresh ones. I know, I cheated. I have limitations in my kitchen so I can't really do a lot of hard work in there due to limited resources - meaning utensils. LOL.

Ingredients:

1 Bunch of Spaghetti noodles (measured between your thumb and the first joint of your index fingers)
1 Can 14.5 Oz. of Diced Tomatoes in Garlic, Oregano and Basil
1 Can 2 Oz. Anchovy Fillets in Olive oil
1 Tbsp Minced/Crushed Garlic
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
Fresh sweet Basil for garnishing
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cooking Instructions:

1. Cook pasta in salted water or according to package instructions.
2. Heat pan in medium-low with 2 tablespoons of Olive oil. Add in the minced garlic and let it cook slowly for 2 minutes or until fragrant. The heat should be low enough to cook the garlic without burning it.
3. Put in the Anchovy fillets and a little bit of the oil. Discard the remaining oil. Saute the garlic and the anchovy until the fillets is almost melted or at least no visible pieces.
4. Add the canned tomatoes and stir to combine. 
5. Season with salt and pepper. If you want to give the sauce a little kick or twist, add a pinch of dried pepper flakes.
6. Toss the cooked pasta until coated with sauce. Remove from heat. Garnish with teared sweet basil leaves and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!