This Pasta with Breadcrumbs and cheese is a simple and easy Sicilian recipe known as Pasta ca' Muddica. Ready in less than 20 minutes!
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Pasta with Breadcrumbs Recipe
I made this dish in only 3 easy steps: First, I blitzed some stale bread in the food processor to make the breadcrumbs (Pangrattato). Second, I toasted them until golden. Third, I sprinkled them on top of my cooked pasta, along with some parmesan cheese. So simple!
I love this recipe because it brings a tasty and easy twist to my pasta.
Any time I have stale bread in my kitchen, I don't let that go to waste, I use it to make Pangrattato, which is the toasted breadcrumbs. Not only to use for making this pasta but to use in a lot of other dishes. It is an easy topping for grilled veggies, chicken or some dips.
It's a unique recipe in which you'll be surprised how yummy adding toasted breadcrumbs to pasta can taste.
Nonetheless, don't be afraid to experiment with ingredients and make your own little recipe (scroll down to read our 'Recipe Variation' section for our top suggestions).
Why We Love This Recipe
- A budget-friendly pasta dish made with simple ingredients.
- Super easy to make with only 5 pantry staples ingredients.
- This breadcrumb pasta recipe is good for lunch or dinner for the whole family.
- A good way to use up any leftover stale bread you have.
Ingredients
“See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.”
Spaghetti or Pasta: Whatever shape of pasta you like best.
Olive Oil: I used extra virgin, of course.
Bread crumbs: Grated only coarsely and fresh!
Ground black pepper: Just what you have at home.
Parmesan cheese: For garnishing, before you serve.
How to make the Pasta with Breadcrumbs?
The process of making this dish involves combing two different preparations. Firstly, we'll prepare the pasta, after which we will fry the homemade breadcrumbs. In the end, we put it all together.
One, (Make the bread crumbs): Put your stale bread in the food processor and blitz until breadcrumbs form.
Two, (Cook the pasta): Take a large pot of water and allow it to boil over high heat. Once you find it boiling, add in some salt. Then, proceed to add in your choice of pasta and cook it according to package instructions or until al dente.
Tip: I only add salt once, while cooking the pasta. If the salt that you add is not enough for you, then you can add in some extra whilst you're combining the pasta and the breadcrumbs.
Al dente literally translates to 'to the tooth' in Italian, but it just means cooking your pasta until it's got a nice bite to it. Drain it and set it aside for later.
Three: Heat the olive oil in this large skillet over medium heat, add the breadcrumbs, and fry (stirring often) until golden brown.
Four: Sprinkle some black pepper over the breadcrumbs.
Five: Now, add the cooked spaghetti (or whatever choice of pasta you had picked) that we had set aside earlier to this mixture of olive oil and breadcrumbs. Toss the pasta in the breadcrumbs for an even coating.
Six: Lastly, garnish this pasta with parmesan cheese and serve.
Voila! The easiest pasta recipe you have probably cooked is ready to be served.
Variations & Substitutions
- Garlic: Just plop some finely diced garlic along with the olive oil, and relish its goodness with no extra effort.
- Lemon Zest: Allow it to sizzle in the olive oil before adding any other ingredients. You can also add the juice of half a lemon if you like the flavour it brings to the pasta.
- Artichokes: They don't just add extra oomph to the pasta, they're also healthy.
- Olives: When it comes to pasta, olives are always a good idea.
- Chopped Parsley: Enrich your pasta with the freshness of a herb.
- Coriander: You can also opt for coriander for garnishing.
- Chili flakes/ground red pepper: Fan of chilly food? Don't forget to add your favorite spice then.
- Anchovy fillets: To use them, just saute with garlic until melted.
If you choose to utilize any of the recipe variations mentioned below, add them to the dish before or after the breadcrumbs, depending on what flavours you'd like your breadcrumbs to absorb.
Serving Suggestions
This simple yet versatile recipe can be paired with Rocket Salad with Parmesan or Italian Tomato And Onion Salad.
You can even add a baked side of your favourite protein such as Baked Honey Glazed Salmon or some delicious veggies such as Roasted Green Beans and Carrots. It's also always great, devoured on its very own. Happy Munching!
Storage
Store: You can store this Pasta ca' Muddica in an airtight container in the fridge for a good 3-5 days, where it'll still taste good.
To reheat: Take it out a 30 minutes in advance, reheat it in in the microwave and serve!
Freeze: I suggest you only freeze the breadcrumbs and cook the pasta fresh whenever necessary. You can always give the breadcrumbs another shallow fry once they're out of the fridge/freezer as well.
More Italian Pasta Recipes
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Pasta with Breadcrumbs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti
- ¼ cup olive oil plus
- 4 slices stale bread , crusts removed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese , for serving
Instructions
- Put the bread in the food processor and blitz until breadcrumbs form.4 slices stale bread
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain it and set it aside.400 g spaghetti, ½ teaspoon salt
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat, add the breadcrumbs and fry (stirring often) until golden brown.¼ cup olive oil plus
- Sprinkle the black pepper over the breadcrumbs.½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Now, add spaghetti to the breadcrumbs and toss to coat.
- Garnish with parmesan cheese.2 tablespoon parmesan cheese
Beth says
Italian means delicious!
Riley says
I tried this recipe, and it was amazing; I even used the Pangrattato recipe that I made earlier instead of just bread crumbs.