(4 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
Loading ...
I’ve been visited by the grocery gremlins again. You know, the ones who devour everything you bring home to cook dinner with so that when you go to make said dinner, the ingredients are now missing, or sometimes the box is still there but it’s now empty and said gremlin put it back without telling you so you wouldn’t know that they ate every last one!? I have three gremlins in this house…I married one and gave birth to the other two.
And yet, despite leaving our cupboards skimpier than a thong, they creep up (like said thong) and begin howling for more food. What’s a cook to do?
Go on a pantry raid. With spaghetti, stale bread, olive oil and garlic, I can calm the gremlins. Here’s how.
SPAGHETTI WITH SPICY BREAD CRUMBS AND GARLIC
2 c. coarse stale bread crumbs (about 3-4 slices chopped up in the food processor or torn into small pieces)
6 Tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
1/2 c. grated Parmesan
1/4 c. freshly chopped Basil
Start your pasta water. When it comes to a boil, toss in a pound of whole wheat spaghetti.
In saute pan, heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil over medium-high until shimmering.
Cook and stir until the breadcrumbs are golden and toasty. Remove the crumbs.
Pour remaining 4 Tablespoons of olive oil into pan. Add 3 more cloves of garlic. Cook over medium until garlic is just golden, not burnt.
Drain spaghetti, reserving 1/4 c. of the cooking water and toss the spaghetti in the pan with the olive oil. Add 1/4 c. cooking water and toss again. Shred 1/4 c. Parmesan in and the bread crumb mixture and toss it AGAIN!
Put it in to a warm bowl and sprinkle with freshly chopped basil. If you’re like my fire-eating husband and want it hotter, toss in some hot pepper sauce or more hot pepper flakes.
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:07 am
simple and satisfying. who needs a stinkin’ olive garden?
i’ve never understood why the gremlins put back an empty box–they’re not fooling anyone.
April 22nd, 2008 at 6:31 am
It’s amazing what we cooks have to do to keep those gremlins satisfied (if such thing is possible) This is a great idea and I will implement it to feed my kitchen gremlin :-p
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:30 am
that really does look great. it would totally hit the spot right now.
gremlins he he. I guess I’m lucky I don’t have those.
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Oh, yes. My gremlins keep growing too. I can’t imagine the food raiding they’ll do in five years!
April 22nd, 2008 at 1:28 pm
I betcha my gremlins are better at that than your gremlins…wanna bet? Huh? Huh?
What is it that is so hard to put an empty package somewhere else…like the recycling bin or garbage can? When it is like two steps away from said pantry? One of life’s little mysteries that have baffled mothers for centuries….
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:16 pm
It’s in the Secret Gremlin Code….along with clean clothes must be dropped on the floor if said Gremlin decides to wear something else.
April 22nd, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Oh, yeah, Francie-
And then, do your gremlins put those clothes that are on the floor in the laundry basket (the ONLY time they pick anything up) because they are “all done cleaning my room, Mom, can I go now?” (this being said in an incredibly whiney voice).
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Okay, I have a cooking question -
you just mentioned something that I keep seeing all the Italian chefs do on http://www.italianfoodnet.com -
Why should we add pasta water back to the pasta at the end?
I want to copy this step, but I need a reason first.
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:33 am
Well, I’m no Italian chef but I add it because it’s seasoned (you salt the boiling pasta water, right?) and the starches in the pasta water are supposed to help bind the sauce.
Here’s my other tip. After you drain the pasta, pour the hot, drained off water into your serving bowl(s). The bowls should be hot. Besides keeping your food warm, creamy sauces tend to get clumpy fast in a cold bowl.
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Hi, Francie, that looks yummy! I just read your post about the bifocals & visiting the eye doctor & was roaring, you are too funny. Thanks for the pic, now we know how cute you are, no 45 is NOT old.
That roasted red pepper sandwich looks great too!
Is there anyway to get your text moved over a bit from the left side? Me and my bad eyes have a hard time reading everything on that side of your blog since it runs into the green color??
Rhoda
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:40 pm
“and the starches in the pasta water are supposed to help bind the sauce.”
yes, that.
April 29th, 2008 at 7:13 am
francie, thank you so much for these wonderful recipes! as a working mother of a 3-year-old future gremlin, i find your recipes to be very quick, easy and extremely satisfying. i made this pasta for my family last night to high praise and clean plates. thanks again!