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Spaghetti with Garlic and Walnut Breadcrumbs
This pasta dish was one of the best things we ate during our trip to Southern Italy. It was prepared for us by Giancarlo Suriano, whose condiment company specializes in preserving regional ingredients, such as Calabrian chilies and Tropea onions. He added chopped walnuts, chilies and oregano to simple toasted breadcrumbs, amping up the flavor and texture of the pantry-friendly dish. To mimic the fruitiness of Calabrian chilies, we opted for Fresnos, which are easier to come by in the U.S. They’re spicier than Calabrian chilies, though, so we seed them to temper the heat. If you prefer a kick, leave the seeds in one or both of them. Red pepper flakes also work well, just add half to the breadcrumb mixture and half with the anchovies, as you would the fresh chilies.
4-6
Servings
Don’t hesitate to add more pasta cooking water if the spaghetti is dry. (During testing, we often wound up using all of the reserved liquid.) It’s fine if the pasta has some extra sauciness before you top it with the breadcrumbs; the noodles eventually will absorb the moisture.
45 minutes
Ingredients
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1
ounce country-style bread, cut or torn into rough ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
-
¾
cup walnuts
Directions
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01In a 12-inch skillet over medium, toast the bread, stirring, until lightly golden and dry, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cool; reserve the skillet. In a food processor, process the walnuts until chopped, about 10 pulses; transfer to the skillet. Add the bread to the processor and process to rough crumbs, about 1 minute. Add 3 tablespoons oil, half the parsley, half of the chilies, the oregano and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Process until incorporated, about 10 seconds.