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Pasta with Golden Onions and Breadcrumbs

Pasta with Golden Onions and Breadcrumbs

Don’t overlook this unassuming pasta—onions, wine, and flavored breadcrumbs add tons of flavor and crunch.

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    40 minutes
  • Rating

This classic Venetian dish typically uses bigoli, a whole-wheat pasta shaped like fat spaghetti. We liked it with regular spaghetti, as well as with bucatini (also called perciatelli), a tubular spaghetti-like shape. Toasted breadcrumbs, or pangrattato in Italian, aren’t traditional, but they add a welcome crispness. We use Japanese-style panko for its light, airy texture and toast it in olive oil before mixing in chopped parsley and lemon zest.

Tip

Don’t rinse the anchovies before mincing, as this will wash away some flavor.

Ingredients
  • ¼

    cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1

    cup panko breadcrumbs

  • ¾

    cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

  • 2

    teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges, to serve

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 12

    ounces spaghetti or bucatini

  • 3

    tablespoons minced anchovy fillets, plus 4 teaspoons anchovy oil

  • 2

    large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced

  • 4

    large garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 1 ½

    cups dry white wine or vermouth

  • ¾

    teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 2

    tablespoons salted butter, cut into 4 pieces

Step 1

In a 12-inch skillet over medium, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool for a few minutes, then stir in the parsley, lemon zest and ¾ teaspoon salt. Wipe out the skillet.

Step 2

In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pasta and 2 tablespoons salt; cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain well, then return the pasta to the pot.

Step 3

Meanwhile, set the skillet over medium-high and heat the anchovy oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are well browned and the garlic is golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the anchovies, then add the wine, pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil over high and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the butter and swirl until it blends into the sauce.

Step 4

Add the sauce to the pasta and toss to combine, then toss in ½ cup of the panko mixture. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining panko mixture and serve with lemon wedges.

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