A very quick pantry meal.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1 tin good quality sardines packed in olive oil i like brieslings, drained
- 1 lemon zested and juiced, reserve 1 tbs juice save the rest
- 6 tbs sun-dried tomatoes either packed in or plumped in boiling water, drained and slivered
- 4 large cloves garlic, separated 2 peeled and mashed, 2 minced
- 1 cup good quality breadcrumbs, unseasoned (i like japanese panko)
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
- 2 tbs chopped capers
- Carbohydrate 91.18325066975 g
- Cholesterol 32.66 mg
- Fat 19.29804119675 g
- Fiber 4.8823390068245 g
- Protein 21.635491262 g
- Saturated Fat 2.631399216225 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (198g)
- Sodium 304.53888555 mg
- Sugar 86.3009116629255 g
- Trans Fat 2.01079750065 g
- Calories 626 calories
Step-by-step
- Put on enough water to cook your spaghetti.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tbs of the olive oil in a good sized skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook stirring frequently until very lightly golden and fragrant. About 30 seconds.
- Add the slivered tomatoes and the sardines, and cook, mashing up the sardines to create a paste-like sauce.
- Add capers and the 2 tbs lemon juice and two more tbs olive oil.
- In a separate pan over medium-high heat the remaining 2 tbs olive oil.
- Add the mashed garlic and fry until golden and fragrant, stirring constantly. Don't let the garlic burn.
- Discard the garlic and reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the breadcrumbs and parsley and cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly until the crumbs are toasted. This will happen quickly. It's best to turn the heat off just before the crumbs begin to reach desired color.
- When spaghetti is done, drain and toss with the sauce.
- Toss well and top with seasoned crumbs.
- You can also toss the crumbs with the spaghetti after the spaghetti has been tossed with the sauce.
Unlike a heavy meat ragu that relies on hours of simmering, this coastal pantry pasta achieves its depth through rapid flavor extraction and sharp textural contrast. Achieving the proper balance between creamy sauce and crisp garnish requires strict adherence to heat control and timing.
- Mince the first two cloves of garlic finely and cook them for exactly 30 seconds over medium-high heat so they release aromatics without turning bitter.
- Mash the sardines thoroughly into the warm oil and sun-dried tomatoes until the mixture forms a cohesive, paste-like emulsion that clings to the pasta strands.
- Infuse the remaining olive oil with mashed garlic cloves, then discard the solids before adding the breadcrumbs to prevent charred fragments from ruining the flavor.
- Toast the breadcrumbs and parsley over medium heat, removing the pan from the burner just before they reach their final golden shade because residual heat will continue cooking them.
- Boil the spaghetti in salted water until it is truly al dente, reserving a quarter cup of starchy cooking water to loosen the sardine sauce if the mixture becomes too thick.
Managing two pans simultaneously ensures the toasted crumb topping remains crisp while the pasta finishes cooking. Combining components immediately prior to serving prevents the breadcrumbs from absorbing too much moisture and losing their crunch.
