Spaghetti Pangrattato with Crispy Eggs
| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 10 min |
| Cook time | 15 min |
| Source | Smitten Kitchen Every Day by Deb Perelman (pg 153-154) |
| Yield / serves | 2-4 servings |
| Rating | Very good |
Note: If making this as a main dish for 4, double this recipe.
Ingredients
Crumbs
- 2 T olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 c plain breadcrumbs, such as panko
- salt and red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 t minced fresh rosemary
- ~1 t fresh lemon zest
Pasta & Assembly
- 8 oz dried spaghetti
- 1 T olive oil
- 2 t drained capers (rinsed if salted), chopped
- fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/3 c grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan (optional)
Crispy Eggs
- 1 glug of olive oil per egg
- 1 egg per desired portion
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Make the crispy breadcrumbs:
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the garlic, and let it sizzle for barely a minute, just until it begins to turn a pale-golden color. Add the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper flakes, rosemary, and lemon zest, and reduce the heat to low; cook the mixture slowly until all of the crumbs are an even golden color, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Cook the pasta:
Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta until it's al dente, 1-2 minutes shy of the package directions. Reserve a little pasta-cooking water, then drain.
Make the crispy eggs:
Wipe out the bread-crumb skillet. Return it to the stove over high heat, and add a generous glug of olive oil per egg. Once it's hot enough so the oil begins to smoke, add the eggs. They're going to hiss and splatter, so step back as soon as you do. Spoon some of the cooking oil over the eggs, carefully. Season with salt and pepper. In 1-2 minutes, the eggs will be brown and very crisp underneath and around the edges. Shimmy a thin spatula underneath the eggs (a flexible fish spatula works great here), being careful not to break the yolks. If you're cooking for someone who shouldn't be eating runny yolks, you can flip the eggs over and cook them for another 30 seconds or so before removing them. Transfer the cooked eggs to paper towels to drain.
Assemble the dish:
Once the pasta is drained, return it to the empty pot or a large skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a splash or two of the reserved cooking water. Over high heat, toss with the capers and parsley for 1 minute. Divide among bowls or plates. Sprinkle a portion of the breadcrumb mixture over it, then the cheese (if using). Place an egg over each dish, and break it up with a fork. Eat immediately.
Notes
- Author's Note: There is no one correct way to make pangrattato, only the way you like it. Nobody is going to know if you skip the parsley or try sage or thyme instead of rosemary. I couldn't resist adding a little Pecorino here anyway, but you'd be fine without it if you'd like to keep the dish dairy-free.
