Pasta with Fresh Mackerel

Method

1. Prepare the sauce base: heat a generous amount of olive oil in a pan over low heat. Add garlic (whole or sliced) and sliced chili pepper. Sauté gently without burning the garlic.
2. Add a handful of chopped parsley to the pan.
3. Increase the heat slightly and add peeled tomatoes broken into chunks, not blended. Season with salt and let the sauce cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, fillet the fresh mackerel: place the knife at the base of the central bone and remove the fillets. Repeat on the other side.
5. Remove the small bones from the fillets (use tweezers if needed) and, if desired, remove the skin by sliding a knife parallel to the skin.
6. Cut the fillets into bite-sized pieces (about the size of a fingertip).
7. Once the sauce has cooked, taste and adjust salt. Add the mackerel pieces to the pan. Keep the heat low.
8. Cook the spaghetti (or short pasta) in salted boiling water until al dente.
9. Drain the pasta a minute or two before the recommended time and transfer it to the pan with the sauce. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, adding a splash of pasta cooking water if the sauce becomes too dry.
10. A few minutes before the end, sprinkle with a couple pinches of dried oregano.
11. Serve immediately, garnishing with fresh parsley and extra chili if desired. Toss carefully to create a nice 'nest' of pasta on the plate.