Spanish Spaghetti

I’ve seen a version of “Spanish” spaghetti in a few places on the internet and apparently all of those were originally adapted from Cooking Light (which I’m guessing is a cooking mag in the vein of Olive or similar). 

I’ve now adapted it further, mine is made with pork mince (because pork is more Spanish, right?!) instead of the original beef and I've also added chorizo and charred red pepper. I’d wanted to add some chopped Guindilla chillies but I forgot. Typical.

It’s really very nice and completely open to further fiddling: adding or subtracting ingredients and flavours (while trying to keep to the Spanish theme) as you see fit.


Spanish Spaghetti
serves 2

150g wholewheat spaghetti
½ tbsp olive oil
1 anchovy, chopped
1 large banana shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 red pepper, chargilled and chopped
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
200g minced pork
1 raw chorizo sausages, skinned & finely chopped
¾ jar tomato pasta sauce (about 300g)
60g pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced
2 tbsp dry sherry
½ tablespoon capers
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over low-medium heat and fry off the anchovy until it has dissolved into the oil.

Add the chorizo and onion to the pan and sauté for 8 minutes or so until the onion is softened and translucent and the chorizo is coloured.

Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so more.

Stir in the oregano, celery salt, chargrilled red pepper and flakes, saffron and a hefty grinding of black pepper.

Push the onion, chorizo, pepper and herb mix to the sides of the pan and turn up the heat a little.

Crumble the pork into the pan and cook for 5 minutes or until it is browning, stirring as you go and breaking up the pork further with the back of a wooden spoon.

Turn the heat up a little more and pour in the sherry. Let that bubble up then add the pasta sauce, turning the heat back down

Stir through the olives, capers and 1 tablespoon of parsley.

Bring to the boil briefly then simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions but a couple of minutes less. Drain, reserving a couple of tablespoons of cooking water and add that, along with the spaghetti itself to the sauce.

Stir well and let it cook for another couple of minutes.

Divide between two plates and serve sprinkled with the remaining parsley and freshly grated parmesan.