Spaghetti With Bottarga And Almond Bread Crumbs Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 c. salt-packed capers

1 c. whole blanched almonds

1 1/2 c. coarse fresh bread crumbs

1/4 c. finely chopped parsley

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

3/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. crushed red pepper

1 1/2 oz. bottarga

1 lb. spaghetti

Preparation

Step 1Soak the capers in a bowl of cold water for 1 hour. Drain and finely chop the capers.Step 2Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let the almonds cool, then coarsely chop them; transfer to a food processor and finely grind.Step 3Spread the bread crumbs on the baking sheet and toast in the oven until crisp. Let cool, then toss with the almonds and parsley.Step 4In a large pot, melt the butter in 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the capers, crushed red pepper, and half of the bottarga and cook over moderate heat until sizzling, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.Step 5In another large pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti, stirring, until al dente. Drain the spaghetti, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the bottarga sauce. Stir in the reserved cooking water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the pasta is coated with a rich sauce.Step 6Scatter one-fourth of the bread crumb mixture in a large, shallow bowl. Top with one-third of the pasta. Repeat the layering twice more, ending with the bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle the remaining bottarga over the pasta and drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Serve right away.Looking for more dinner options? Check out our pork chop recipes, chicken recipes, and potato recipes.