Bucatini With Toasted Bread Crumbs Recipes

BUCATINI WITH BREADCRUMBS AND BOTTARGA

Steps:

• Finely chop 5 garlic cloves. In medium skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt boiling water and add pasta. Cook until still very firm, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large high-sided skillet, heat remaining 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat. Crush remaining 4 garlic cloves and add to skillet along with capers and raisins; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add preserved lemon, chicken stock, lemon juice, butter, Aleppo pepper, and a pinch of salt.
• Bring to a simmer and add pasta. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, about 3 minutes; remove from heat. Stir in pine nuts, parsley, grated Parmesan, and bottarga.
• Garnish with reserved breadcrumb mixture. Shave over parmesan and bottarga. Serve immediately.

BUCATINI

Steps:

• Toast bread and turn into crumbs by tearing up and blending it in a blender (really easy method, try it!).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook bucatini for about 8 minutes (or according to package directions), until al dente.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a very large skillet. Add garlic and shallots and saute until soft.
• Add chili flakes, olives, capers and chickpeas and cook another minute or so. (If using tuna, break into flakes and add now.) Cook until ingredients are warm and remove from heat.
• Drain pasta and reserve about 1 cup water. Add pasta, parsley and mint to skillet. Return to low heat and toss well. Add additional olive oil (if desired) and some or all of pasta water to moisten ingredients.
• Season with salt, black pepper and more chili flakes if desired. Transfer to a warm serving bowl, top with bread crumbs and parmesan if using and serve.

BUCATINI WITH TOASTED BREAD CRUMBS

Steps:

• Cut off the crust of the bread chunk, and with your fingers tear the interior of the bread into irregular shreds, 1/4 inch or a bit larger-big enough to crunch nicely when toasted. For a pound of pasta, shred 2 full cups of the rough crumbs.
• Heat at least 6 quarts of water, with 1 tablespoon salt, to a rolling boil in the big pot, and add the bucatini. Bring it back to the boil, and cook, partially covered, until al dente.
• As soon as the pasta is in the pot, pour 1/2 cup olive oil into the big skillet, set over medium-high heat, and scatter in the garlic slices. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the garlic is sizzling and fragrant but still pale. Drop in the torn bread crumbs, and stir and tumble them over to coat with oil. Keep tossing as they start to toast and color, sprinkle the oregano over the pot, and continue stirring and tossing. Lower the heat to avoid burning, and as soon as the crumbs and garlic slices are deep gold and crisp, turn off the heat.
• Meanwhile, keep checking the pasta for doneness. As soon as it is cooked al dente, lift out the bucatini with tongs and a spider, let the water drain off for just a second or two, then drop it into the skillet.
• Turn the heat up a bit, and immediately toss the pasta with the bread crumbs and garlic. Sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon salt, and keep tossing. If the crumbs absorbed all the oil and the pasta seems dry, drizzle over them 2 or more tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and toss well. Taste, and season with more salt if needed. Finally, sprinkle on the parsley (and grated Canestrato Pugliese, if you have it, or other pecorino), toss, and serve right away.