Author Notes
This is a simple recipe designed to highlight some of my favorite Sicilian flavors. The key to this dish is cooking the swordfish slowly and gently, so that it stays moist and absorbs the garlic and chili flavors. If you are unable to find fresh oregano, you can use a few pinches of dried, but add it along with the red chili flakes at the beginning of the recipe.
Please note that I do not salt the pasta water in this recipe. Whenever a recipe calls for the addition of pasta cooking water to a highly seasoned ragu, the final dish may become over-salted if the pasta cooking water is well-seasoned with salt. —Josh Cohen
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Ingredients
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2 pounds
swordfish steaks, skin removed
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Salt
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olive oil
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6
cloves garlic, thinly sliced
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1 tablespoon
red chili flakes
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8
anchovy fillets, diced small
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1 pound
dried paccheri pasta (or your favorite tube-shaped pasta)
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Juice of 1 lemon
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1 cup
canned diced tomatoes
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2
heaping handfuls of fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped
Directions
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Cut the swordfish into 1/4-inch cubes. Transfer the swordfish to a large mixing bowl, and season generously with salt. Set aside.
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In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, add enough olive oil to comfortably cover the bottom of the pot. Add the garlic and the red chili flakes to the cold oil. Adjust the heat to medium, and cook until the garlic starts to sizzle. Add the anchovy. After approximately 6 to 8 minutes, when the garlic is just beginning to brown, turn the heat to low and add the swordfish. Gently stir the swordfish in the oil. Cook the swordfish over very low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until it is tender and just cooked through.
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While the swordfish is cooking, set a large pot of water over high heat. The water should begin to boil right around the time when the swordfish is cooked through. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to the directions on the package, except undercook the pasta by a minute or two. While the pasta is cooking, add the lemon juice and tomatoes to the swordfish, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally.
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Transfer the cooked pasta to the pot containing the swordfish, making sure to reserve a cup of the pasta's cooking water. Add half of the reserved pasta water along with the fresh oregano. Turn up the heat and gently stir the pasta. You want to coat the pasta with the swordfish and the flavorful oil. Taste the pasta. Adjust with salt and/or lemon as necessary. If the pasta is too dry, add a little more of the pasta water. If the pasta is too oily, buy some good bread and mop it up while you eat!
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