Fresh off the release of their first joint cookbook, Jazmin and Richard Blais share the recipe for their spaghetti pomodoro with olives, capers and anchovies.
While Richard Blais has written three cookbooks of his own, this is his first project with his wife, Jazmin; PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER REGAN
Celebrity chef Richard Blais is no stranger to the spotlight. He hosts Fox’s Next-Level Chef, opposite Gordon Ramsay and Nyesha Arrington, and won season eight of Bravo’s Top Chef: All-Stars. Off-camera, he calls San Diego home with his wife, Jazmin, and their daughters, Riley, 15, and Embry, 12, where he’s built a delicious portfolio of restaurants, including Ember & Rye in Carlsbad and California English in the Sorrento Valley. In late October, Blais and his wife released their first-ever coauthored cookbook, Plant Forward: 100 Bold Recipes For A Mostly Healthy Lifestyle (Victory Belt Publishing). With each chapter focused on a specific vegetable—think tomatoes, cauliflower or eggplant—the duo shares how to transform simple ingredients into inspired dishes. Here, the Blaises reveal how to make their date night-approved spaghetti pomodoro with olives, capers and anchovies. Bon appétit!
PHOTO BY JUSTIN-AARON VELASCO AND KAT LANNOM
“We wanted to include a tomato-based pasta sauce in this book and thought awhile about which one to feature. Pasta is my go-to answer to the oft-asked interview question of what I would eat if I had to choose one food for the rest of my life," says Richard. "At first, I was worried that Pomodoro in its authentic state was too simple… but no, simple is delicious.”
PHOTO BY DANI MCREYNOLDS
SPAGHETTI POMODORO WITH OLIVES, CAPERS AND ANCHOVIES
Serves 4 to 6
1 lb. gluten-free or whole-wheat spaghetti
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups halved fresh cherry tomatoes or 1 (12-ounce) can of cherry tomatoes
½ tsp. red pepper flakes, or ¹/ 8 tsp. Calabrian chili oil
½ tsp. anchovy paste
3 Tbsp. sliced green olives
1 Tbsp. capers, drained
½ cup chopped fresh basil, divided
Salt and pepper
Cook the spaghetti per the package instructions for al dente. Drain and set aside. Do not rinse the pasta.
In a saute pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes (if using canned, drain off most of the juices) and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes, until the tomatoes shrivel and start melting into the oil.
Stir in the anchovy paste until it is fully incorporated and no large chunks remain.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the olives, capers and ¼ cup of the basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add the pasta to the pan and use tongs or a fork to fold it into the sauce until coated.
Serve in bowls, garnished with the remaining basil.
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