Nigella Lawson’s gemelli with anchovies, tomato and mascarpone is a creamy, tangy, gently spiced pasta that comes together in the time it takes the pasta to boil. Anchovies melt into the oil, cherry tomatoes break down into a sauce, and mascarpone pulls it all into silky richness. It serves two and takes about 15 minutes.
The recipe is from At My Table, as seen on her BBC series, and the anchovies are the secret. Cooked until they almost dissolve, they bring a deep savoury saltiness with no fishy taste at all. Nigella deliberately keeps the tomato seeds in too, because the gloop inside the halved cherry tomatoes is what gives the sauce its cohesion.
The one thing that makes the sauce cling is a splash of the starchy pasta water. Nigella saves a cupful before draining and adds a tablespoon or so to the sauce. That starch is what emulsifies it so it coats every twist of pasta, rather than sliding off into a puddle at the bottom of the bowl.
Nigella Lawson Gemelli With Anchovies, Tomato And Mascarpone
Course: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy2
servings5
minutes12
minutes560
kcal17
minutesFrom At My Table, as seen on her BBC series. A fast, creamy, tangy pasta with melted anchovies, cherry tomatoes, vermouth and mascarpone. Ready in about 15 minutes for two.
Ingredients
175g gemelli pasta
salt, for the pasta water
1 x 15ml tbsp regular olive oil
6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
150g cherry tomatoes, halved across the equator
4 x 15ml tbsp (60ml) dry white vermouth
2 x 15ml tbsp mascarpone
1 x 15ml tbsp Parmesan, finely grated, plus more to serve
2 x 15ml tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more to serve
Directions
- Boil the pasta: Put a pan of water on to boil, and get the sauce ingredients ready while you wait. Once boiling, salt generously and add the pasta. Check the packet timing, but start tasting a good 2 minutes before it’s meant to be ready.
- Melt the anchovies: Once the pasta’s in, put the oil and chopped anchovies into a heavy-based wok or large pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat for about a minute until the anchovies almost dissolve into the oil.
- Build the sauce: Stir in the garlic and chilli flakes, turn the heat up a little, then tumble in the tomatoes and stir gently for about 2 minutes until they start to soften.
- Reduce with vermouth: Pour in the vermouth, let it bubble up, then push the tomatoes about for another 2 minutes or so until they break down into a thickened, orange-tinted sauce.
- Finish the sauce: Take the pan off the heat, stir in the mascarpone until melted, then stir in the Parmesan and parsley.
- Combine: Before draining, lower a cup into the pan to save some pasta water. Add a tablespoon or so to the sauce, then drain the pasta, add it to the sauce and toss well, loosening with more pasta water if needed. Scatter with parsley and take extra Parmesan to the table.
FAQs
Will this taste fishy because of the anchovies?
No, and this is the magic of cooking anchovies this way. Stirred in oil over medium heat until they almost dissolve, they melt into a deep, savoury saltiness rather than tasting of fish. What you get is umami depth, the same reason anchovies quietly underpin so many Italian sauces.
Why keep the tomato seeds in?
Nigella deliberately leaves them, even though a traditional Italian cook might not. The gloopy, jelly-like part inside the halved cherry tomatoes is what gives the sauce its body and helps it hold together. Scooping the seeds out would leave you with a thinner, less cohesive sauce, so let them all go in.
Why add pasta cooking water to the sauce?
The cloudy, starchy water is what emulsifies the sauce so it clings to the pasta instead of sliding off. A tablespoon or so loosens the mascarpone sauce to a silky, coating consistency. Always save a cupful before you drain, since it’s the easiest way to rescue a sauce that’s too thick or won’t cling.
What is gemelli, and what can I use instead?
Gemelli means “twins” in Italian, a robust short pasta that looks like two strands twisted together but is really one rope doubled back on itself. Its twists trap the creamy sauce beautifully. If you can’t find it, Nigella suggests casarecce, or more easily fusilli, which has similar grooves to hold the sauce.
Can I use dry white wine instead of vermouth?
Yes, dry white wine works as a straight swap for the vermouth and does the same job of deglazing and adding acidity. Vermouth brings a slightly more herbal, aromatic note, and it keeps well in the cupboard for exactly these splash-in moments. Either way, let it bubble up properly so the raw alcohol cooks off.
Can I make it ahead?
This is very much a cook-and-eat-now dish, since pasta softens and the sauce dries out on standing. Its whole appeal is being fast, about 15 minutes, so there’s little reason to prep ahead. If you must reheat leftovers, loosen them with a splash of hot water and an extra scrap of mascarpone to bring the sauce back.
