Authentic St. Joseph’s Day Pasta


Simple, traditional and perfect on Lenten Fridays.

By: Francesca Montillo, ISDA Food + Travel Writer

Eaten year-round, but especially on March 19, the day Italians celebrate the feast day of St. Joseph, this humble dish calls for just a few ingredients.

The name comes from the main ingredient, the breadcrumbs, which are said to resemble the sawdust left behind after a carpenter’s workday.

This pasta is also often served as a first course on Christmas Eve, a day Italians traditionally enjoy seafood recipes or other meatless dishes.

The recipe below serves about 4-5 people, but you can adjust accordingly.

Prep time is minimal at best, and it all takes well under 30 minutes to prepare. Plus, it’s what I call a “pantry pasta,” you should have everything you need in your cupboards.

St. Joseph’s Day Pasta 

Ingredients  

½ cup olive oil, divided 

2 cups unseasoned breadcrumbs 

Table salt for the pasta water 

1 pound bucatini, spaghetti, fettuccini, or other long pasta 

8 anchovy fillets, chopped 

Crushed red pepper flakes 

Instructions:  

  1. In a large sautépan over medium heat, heat¼cup of oil. Add the breadcrumbs and mix with a wooden spoon. Toast the breadcrumbs until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside in a small bowl. 
  2. Meanwhile, in a 6-quart pot over high heat, bring about 4 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, stir, and cook to just under al dente, about 2 minutes less than the box instructs. 
  3. Meanwhile, as the pasta cooks, in the same sautépan used for the breadcrumbs, add the remaining¼cup of oil, chopped anchovies and the oil they came in, and red pepper flakes, and cook over low heat until the oil is hot but not burning, and the anchovies break down. 
  4. Drain the pasta, reserving 2 or 3 tablespoons of pasta water. Add the pasta to the sautépan. Coat evenly, adding a few tablespoons of the pasta water, or additional oil, if its looking dry. Continue until the pasta is fully cooked to al dente. 
  5. Turn the heat off, and add most of the breadcrumbs to the pasta, stirring to coat evenly. Season with additional salt, if needed. Plate the pasta and top each dish with the remaining breadcrumbs. 

Notes:

Make this dish more satiating with some raisins and pine nuts. Add them to step 1 while toasting the breadcrumbs. These are typical Sicilian additions to this dish. 

Also, I find toasted bread crumbs add much more flavor than plain bread crumbs, so when you’re making this recipe, toast a double batch and save the rest in the refrigerator for later. They’re great for coating chicken for chicken Parmesan cutlets. 

 

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