Aglio e Olio with Pecorino Breadcrumbs
A twist on a classic Italian dish – Aglio e Olio. The crunchy breadcrumbs along with the capers and lemon add just the right punch to this! Yum!
Ingredients
12 ounces of Tri-Color Pasta Ruffles (or any short shape pasta)
2 cups cubed or hand torn stale, peasant style bread (I used sourdough)
½ cup Pecorino cheese
¾ Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup for breadcrumbs + ¼ cup for sauce)
2 T. + ½ cup olive oil
8 anchovy fillets
8–10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 T. capers, drained
1 lemon, zested and about 2 T. fresh lemon juice
¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water BEFORE draining, then toss drained pasta with a drizzle of oil, and leave aside.
Place bread pieces in a food processor and pulse until they are in coarse pieces/crumbs. Toss in a bowl with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, then with all Pecorino and ½ cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper (go easy on the salt – the cheese has plenty of salty flavor!).
Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with Pam or cooking oil. Spread breadcrumbs over foil, and place in oven and bake for approx. 13-15 minutes or until golden brown.
In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup olive oil to medium high heat, and add anchovies. They will start to dissolve in the warm oil and you can help that along with a wooden spoon, approx. 2-3 minutes. Add the sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, capers, and lemon zest to the oil. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the white wine and lemon juice. Reduce heat to medium low.
Add the pasta water, the cooked pasta, fresh parsley, and ¼ cup Parmesan to the oil mixture. Toss gently until well combined. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
Serve pasta in bowls and top with the breadcrumbs. Enjoy!
Find it online: https://pastashoppe.com/aglio-e-olio-pecorino-breadcrumbs/