Spaghetti with Anchovies, Datterini, and Lime
Spaghetti with Anchovies, Datterini, and Lime

Spaghetti with Anchovies, Datterini, and Lime: A Taste of Summer Freshness

Summer is here… and so is the craving for new flavors. The garden is bursting with tomatoes, green beans, eggplants, and peppers, while the scent of basil fills the countryside—and even the balconies of many city homes.

With the arrival of the warm season, cooking becomes lighter, more fragrant, and vibrant. Dishes are full of fresh ingredients, and our taste buds seek flavors that speak of sun and sea. At this time of year, it takes very little to feel like you're already on holiday: a lunch outdoors, a glass of chilled wine, and a simple yet flavorful recipe.

Lately, I’ve been craving Mediterranean fish—those anchovies found in our seas, the same ones we all tried to catch as kids. That famous blue fish our mothers almost forced us to eat to give us back the energy that the heat seemed to steal away.

Spaghetti with Anchovies, Datterini Tomatoes, and Lime

  • Fresh anchovies
  • Datterini (grape) tomatoes
  • Garlic, extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt, pepper, thyme
  • Lemon and lime (juice and zest)
  • Spaghetti

Start by cleaning the anchovies: remove the central bone, rinse them gently, and let them drain.

Cut the datterini tomatoes into quarters and place them in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and a clove of garlic. Cook for a few minutes, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, then add the anchovies. Let everything cook together briefly, and once the heat is off, add a few thyme leaves, a splash of fresh lemon juice, and a generous grating of lime zest.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water. Drain them al dente and toss them in the pan with the sauce, letting them soak up all the flavor. Serve with a final touch of grated lime zest.

And in your glass?
You can choose between a Passerina from the Frusinate hills or a Trento DOC Brut Metodo Classico—it depends whether you’re feeling more laid-back and earthy, or sparkling and Alpine!


Written by:
Vanni Cicetti

Vanni has turned his hobby into work. He has always been in the restaurant business starting from the bar and becoming head barman of the Aibes - Italian Barmen Association and Supporters. He then...

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