Region: Italy
Category: Pasta with Fish
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy and Quick
Ricotta salata is a dried and salted ricotta that may be sold in two varieties, a crumbly one for eating and a hard one for grating. 
Use whatever is available but remember to keep checking the taste of the dish because you are striving to have a savory balance between pasta, ricotta and anchovies. The Greek cheese known as myzithra, which can now be found at some supermarkets, is identical to ricotta salata and you can use that too. The mixture of fish and cheese is frowned upon in many regions of Italy, but not in the South, and I think you will like this taste.
[photo: Clifford A. Wright]
Yield: Makes 2 servings
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
1/2 pound perciatelli (bucatini)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
1 dried red chile
10 salted anchovy fillets, rinsed
3 tablespoons freshly grated hard ricotta salata and more to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat with the garlic clove and chile until the garlic begins to turn light brown. Remove and discard the garlic but leave the chile. Reduce the heat to low and add the anchovy fillets while stirring. Once the anchovies have melted add all the parsley except a little for sprinkling on afterwards and stir with a fork until well mixed.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt abundantly then cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente. Drain without rinsing.
3. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and sprinkle on the grated ricotta salata and toss well. Now toss again with the olive oil and anchovy sauce, removing the chile. Taste and add more ricotta salata if you think you need it. Sprinkle the top with some parsley and black pepper and serve.
Variation:
Note:
Posted: 12/17/2006