Mafaldine di San Giuseppe
Mafaldine di San Giuseppe·(mah-fahl-DEE-neh dee san joo-ZEP-peh)
Le Feste: Sicilian-American Holiday Spreads
Tuesday at 6:30 PM: a standard 12-inch skillet, a box of ruffled mafaldine, and cheap pantry staples. As the breadcrumbs toast, you dissolve canned anchovies into warm olive oil, eventually tossing the ruffled pasta with toasted breadcrumbs meant to mimic the sawdust of St. Joseph the carpenter. Here is the exact sequence to get this from a cold stove to a hot bowl laced with the lingering flavor of anchovy oil and toasted crumbs before seven.
Ingredients
- unseasoned breadcrumbs1 cup
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- dried Mafaldine pasta1 lb
- kosher salt2 tbsp
- extra-virgin olive oil1/2 cup
- anchovy fillets packed in oil2 oz
- garlic cloves4 large
- crushed red pepper flakes1/2 tsp
- fresh flat-leaf parsley1/3 cup
- golden raisins1/3 cup
- pine nuts1/3 cup
Method
- 01
Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry skillet with a splash of oil until deeply golden.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, add the breadcrumbs, and stir constantly for 3 to 5 minutes. The moment they smell nutty and turn brown, immediately transfer them to a cool bowl so they do not burn in the residual heat.
- 02
Boil the pasta until firmly al dente.
Drop the Mafaldine into a large pot of heavily salted boiling water, cooking it 2 minutes shy of the package directions. Before draining, carefully scoop out and reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
- 03
Melt the anchovies entirely into the remaining olive oil.
Wipe out the skillet used for the breadcrumbs, heat the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil over medium-low, and add the anchovies. Smash and stir them continuously with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes until they completely dissolve into a savory, fragrant oil.
- 04
Build the aromatics with the garlic and chili.
Toss the minced garlic and red pepper flakes into the anchovy oil, along with the plumped raisins and pine nuts. Sauté for exactly one minute until fragrant, making sure the garlic does not scorch and turn bitter.
- 05
Marry the pasta, sauce, and starchy water.
Pour 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water into the skillet to emulsify the sauce, then add the drained pasta and chopped parsley. Toss vigorously over low heat for a minute or two until the ruffled edges soak up the oil, adding more pasta water if the dish looks dry.
- 06
Serve immediately beneath a heavy shower of the toasted sawdust.
Turn off the heat and toss half the breadcrumbs directly into the noodles. Transfer the pasta to a large platter and cover it evenly with the rest of the breadcrumbs before serving.
Notes
The anchovies will vanish into the sauce, leaving behind deep flavor rather than a fishy texture.
Even those who claim to hate anchovies will love this dish. The grandma-approved trick is ensuring the oil is warm enough to melt the fillets, but not so hot that they fry and harden.