Everything in this sauce came out of a tin or a jar, and it is one of the best things you can eat. That is worth stating plainly, because the assumption underneath most shelf-stable cooking is that it is a compromise. This isn’t.
The anchovies are the whole trick and they are not optional. They do not taste of fish in the finished sauce — they dissolve completely and read as depth, the savoury bottom note you would otherwise spend an hour building. If you think you dislike anchovies, this is the dish that argues with you.
- Get the pasta water on and salted properly. If you are short of water or fuel, cook the pasta in less water than feels right — it works, and the starchier water is better for the sauce anyway.
- In the other pan, warm the oil gently and add the anchovies with their oil. Keep the heat low and push them about with a spoon. After two or three minutes they will have broken up and disappeared. That is what you want.
- Add the garlic granules, chilli and oregano, stir for thirty seconds, then the tomatoes, olives and capers. Simmer for ten to fifteen minutes until it has thickened and darkened.
- Drain the pasta, keeping a mugful of the water. Combine, adding splashes of the water until the sauce coats rather than sits.
Taste before adding any salt. Anchovies, olives and capers are all salty and this is a dish you can very easily overdo.
Serves 2 generously, on two burners. On one burner, make the sauce first, set it aside, then cook the pasta and reheat the sauce through it.