This is a quick dinner for one or two, but packed with flavor and well-balanced in texture. Pangritata, aka poor man's parmesan, originated from Southern Italy. It's a fragrant and crunchy blend of breadcrumbs, garlic, and herbs that can elevate any pasta dish. When some people in Italy could not afford Parmesan, they used pangritata as a substitute. You can make the pangritata ahead of time, and store it in the fridge for several days. Feel free to mix it into other pastas, salads, etc!
currently listening to:
IU- You and I
This is probably my all-time favorite song. The highest play count in my iTunes (over 1900 times :O yes, a little crazy..)-- I especially like listening to this song in the winter/ near Christmas-time, and other than the fact that IU is my favorite female k-pop vocalist, (this sounds reallyyy cheesy) I think the song resonates with me, because when I listen to the lyrics, I imagine meeting the girl of my dreams in the future (hahah... like in a Korean drama). Anyways, IU is one of the most talented singers in the K-pop industry, and I like that her music breaks away from the traditional catchy, bubblegum pop tunes that are characteristic of K-pop. It's amazing how much she has improved since her debut, and how talented she was to begin with! (2nd video when she was 16 and not yet famous; she arranged the 3 songs herself!). Hope you enjoy!
recipe for 1, so double the ingredients for 2 people
pangritata
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup breadcrumbs (any kind is fine, but I used Panko)
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
zest from 1/2 lemon
spaghetti
4 oz spaghetti or linguine (most pasta packages are 16 oz)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon capers
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano (or parmesan)
prep time: 5-7 minutes (mincing rosemary, garlic, and parsley)
cook time: 20-25 minutes
adapted from rhonda at food52
pangritata
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet
2. Add the breadcrumbs and saute about 4-5 minutes, until they are golden and crispy. Be careful not to burn them!
3. Add the rosemary, and immediately remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool.
4. Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.
spaghetti
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta al dente (about one minute less than the directions on the box).
2. Wipe the skillet from the pangritata, and then add 1 T of olive oil and 1 T of butter. Allow the butter to melt on medium heat (If you do not have butter on hand, it is okay to just use olive oil).
3. Add the garlic and break the eggs directly into the skillet (Don't mind the green in my garlic-- I was mincing them on the same cutting board as the parsley). Be careful to not let the garlic burn. The egg whites should set, but the yolk should still remain runny.
4. Drain the pasta. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
5. Add the pasta back to the pot that it was cooked in. Pour the eggs and the garlic into the same pot. Add the capers and parsley, and mix well, breaking up the eggs as you mix. Add some of the reserved cooking liquid if you prefer a wetter dish.
6. Transfer the pasta to a serving plate, season with freshly ground black pepper, and then generously sprinkle the cheese and pangritata on top.
Enjoy!