Adapted from “The Red Cat Cookbook,” by Jimmy Bradley and Andrew Friedman. Substitute spaghetti for bucatini if preferred. Find pepperoncini at Italian specialty grocers, or substitute your favorite sweet-hot peppers. Makes 4 servings, easily doubled for leftovers.
Ingredients
Salt
1 pound dried bucatini or other long pasta
1/2 cup olive oil
6 large cloves garlic
12 canned anchovy fillets
6 ounces Italian frying peppers or hot cherry peppers, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup thinly sliced pepperoncini
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs (preferably Japanese panko)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sliced parsley
1 lemon, halved
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide, deep, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and anchovies and cook, mashing the anchovies until they dissolve, about 3 minutes. Add the peppers and cook, stirring, until the peppers wilt, approximately 3 minutes. Add pepperoncini.
When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the pan with the anchovy and pepper mixture. Add the bread crumbs, cheese, pepper flakes and parsley. Squeeze half a lemon over the pan, catching any seeds in your hand, and toss to combine.
