Spaghetti with Oregano and Parsley Pangrattato
Here's a great chance to bring a bit of summer back onto a big plate of pasta: just harvest whatever green leaves you find left on your kitchen herbs and tease your inspiration and mix them with golden sautéed onions, garlic and breadcrumbs - done! Basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram are perfect, I just wouldn't go for woody herbs like thyme, rosemary or sage. You could also use dried herbs in case your herb garden has already closed its season.
There are still some herbs left outside my windows, some look better than the others. One of them is an oregano plant which never seemed to be so happy with its situation. I moved it around, inside and outside, watered it a bit more and a bit less, changed the pot, but somehow it seems to be a bit moody. I didn't want to stress it even more so I didn't pick too many of its velvety leaves, so far. But now, it's time has come! I wanted to have a fresh green mixture of oregano and parsley for my pasta topping, so this moody plant and I had to co-operate at last. It worked, the plant is still alive and the aromatic mixture was exactly what I had in mind!
I'm a big fan of pangrattatos, especially in the colder season when the variety of fruits and vegetables is limited. This Italian dish is so convenient to use leftovers, stale bread, fresh or dried herbs, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, chilies, you can throw in whatever sparks your inspiration. I made one with anchovies and lemon in June and I'm sure there will be more in the months to come!
Spaghetti with Oregano and Parsley Pangrattato
For 2 people you need
spaghetti 200g / 7 ounces
medium onion, finely chopped, 1
garlic, finely chopped, 2 big cloves
dry breadcrumbs 4 tablespoons
fresh oregano leaves, very finely chopped, 2 tablespoons plus a few small leaves for the topping
fresh parsley leaves, very finely chopped, 3 tablespoons
olive oil
salt
black peppercorns, coarsely crushed in a mortar, for the topping
Cook the spaghetti in lots of salted water al dente. Keep a little of the water used to cook the pasta to mix with the cooked spaghetti, season with salt to taste.
In a large pan, heat a splash of olive oil and cook the onions on medium heat for about 3 minutes until golden and soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Push the onions and garlic aside, add a little more olive oil in the centre of the pan and add the breadcrumbs. Fry them for a few minutes until golden brown, stirring constantly. Mix with the onions and take the pan off the heat. Stir in the chopped herbs and serve on top of the warm spaghetti with some crushed black pepper and oregano leaves.
Spaghetti with Anchovy Pangrattato, Lemon and Parsley
La dolce vita, I can hear it calling me! I need a holiday, some Mediterranean vibes, the sea that slows down my pace! For now I only have my beloved Mediterranean food but there's only a month between me and a little dolce far niente! Our flights are booked and in four weeks we will be heading South, but my mind is already there, in Malta, our beautiful rock in the Mediterranean Sea. I find myself daydreaming about all the things I will do and eat.
I have a plan, I will enjoy the sea and spend lots of time with our friends and family as I always do but I will also share some of my culinary hotspots with you. Over the years, I found so many delicious restaurants, small producers of olive oil, cheese, bakeries, winemakers and my salt pans in Gozo of course. I met many people who are as passionate about eating and cooking as I am, chefs and Maltese Mamas who have treated their families to years of the most delicious traditional dishes. Soon, I will meet these food lovers, we will talk about food, I will watch them cook and share their recipes with you on the blog. I'm very excited and I can't wait to show you this amazing island, its food and natural beauty!
For now I can only enjoy all the lovely dishes that feed my memories and fit my daydreams, like spaghetti with pangrattato (meaning grated bread in Italian), crisp breadcrumbs fried with anchovies and garlic! I sprinkle it with freshly squeezed lemon juice, crushed black pepper and parsley, a summer meal which couldn't be quicker and easier!
Spaghetti with Anchovy Pangrattato, Lemon and Parsley
For 2 people you need
spaghetti 200g / 7 ounces
dry breadcrumbs 5 heaping tablespoons (if you have some stale white bread left put it in a food processor and turn into breadcrumbs)
anchovies, rinsed, dried and finely chopped, 2-3 big fillets (use 3 if you like a strong fish taste)
garlic, finely chopped, 2 cloves
parsley, finely chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons
lemon 1/2, to drizzle over the pasta
black peppercorns, crushed coarsely
salt
olive oil for frying
Cook the pasta in lots of salted water al dente.
In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil and fry the garlic on a medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the anchovies and fry for a few seconds before you pour in a little more oil, add the breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown and crisp. Divide the spaghetti and the pangrattato between 2 plates and sprinkle with lemon juice, black pepper and parsley. Season with salt, carefully as the anchovies are very salty.
