Pasta with Golden Onions and Breadcrumbs

Ingredientes

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

¾ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges, to serve

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

12 ounces spaghetti or bucatini (see note)

3 tablespoons minced anchovy fillets, plus 4 teaspoons anchovy oil

2 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced

4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped

1½ cups dry white wine or vermouth

¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 4 pieces

Instruções

In a 12-inch skillet over medium, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool for a few minutes, then stir in the parsley, lemon zest and ¾ teaspoon salt. Wipe out the skillet.

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pasta and 2 tablespoons salt; cook until al dente. Drain well, then return the pasta to the pot.

Meanwhile, set the skillet over medium-high and heat the anchovy oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the onions are well browned and the garlic is golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the anchovies, then add the wine, pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil over high and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the butter and swirl until it blends into the sauce.

Add the sauce to the pasta and toss, then mix in ½ cup of the panko mixture. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining panko mixture and serve with lemon wedges.

Notas

Don’t rinse the anchovies before mincing, as this will wash away some flavor.

This classic Venetian dish typically uses bigoli, a whole-wheat pasta shaped like fat spaghetti. We liked it with regular spaghetti, as well as with bucatini (also called perciatelli), a tubular spaghetti-like shape. The panko topping isn’t traditional, but it adds a welcome crispness, toasted in olive oil and flavored with chopped parsley and lemon zest.