Macaroni "orchids of the eolians"; Maccheroni Orchidee delle Eolie

Number of Servings

4

Ingredients

1 pound farfalle or gemelli,1 pound ripe tomatoes,1/4 cup salt-packed capers and caper flowers,2 tablespoons peeled almonds,2 garlic cloves,20 basil leaves,6 mint leaves,3 anchovy filets, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil,2 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese,Salt and freshly ground black pepper,

Directions

Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add the pasta.

In the mean time, either by hand or in a food processor, chop the tomatoes, capers, almonds, garlic, basil, mint and anchovies.

When the pasta has cooked al dente, drain and put it in a large salad bowl. Add the chopped ingredients along with the olive oil and grated pecorino cheese, then toss. Salt and pepper to taste, toss again and serve immediately.

Comments

This recipes calls for caper flowers, hence the name orchids of the eolians. Caper flowers are an impossible ingredient to find except when capers are in season and only where they are grown, and can easily be omitted from the recipe.

I would like to thank Antonio Bernardi of Ristorante Filippino for contributing this recipe.