Spaghetti alla Gennaro
The recipe is simple, but do be careful not to burn the bread. If you’ve fried bread or breadcrumbs before, you know that they go from brown to black with amazing speed. So fry the bread gently, then take it off the heat just before you think they’re browned to your liking and transfer them right away to a bowl.
The choice of bread is also crucial. It should be the highest quality crusty bread you can find. A pane casereccio is ideal, but a baguette also works nicely, as would a ciabatta.
Dried oregano is very strong, so be careful. Since I have it in my urban garden, I use fresh oregano, which allows me to be more generous.
The anchovies are a matter of taste. Recipes vary a lot in the amount of anchovies they call for. Add only a few and the anchovies will fade into the background, lending a subtle umami. Add more if you want their briny flavor to be more of a focus.
In a lot of this kind of Italian cooking, all the measurements are really “to taste”.
Ingredients
Serves 4
16 oz spaghetti pasta
8 oz stale high-quality bread, sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic
8 anchovy fillets
A pinch of oregano (can use more if fresh instead of dry)
A handful of basil leaves, chopped up if large
Olive oil
Salt
Preparation
Rub the bread slices on both sides with a clove of garlic. Then break it up into small pieces, either with your hands or cube it with a knife.
Sauté the bread gently in a skillet, with just enough olive oil to moisten all the pieces, until lightly golden brown. Transfer immediately to a bowl and set aside until needed.
Boil the spaghetti in abundant well well-salted water until al dente.
While the spaghetti is cooking, gently sauté a clove or two of garlic in a good glug of olive oil. When the garlic is just beginning to brown, add the anchovies and a good pinch of oregano. Sauté just until the anchovies have melted. Turn off the heat and remove the garlic.
When the spaghetti is done, drain and transfer it to the skillet with the anchovy sauce. Toss once or twice, then add about half of the sautéed bread and the basil leaves and toss again.
Plate the spaghetti and top with the rest of the sautéed bread and, if you like, some more basil leaves as garnish. If you’re using fresh oregano, as pictured, a few flowers.
Keywords: Main Italian
