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Spaghetti With Lemon, Garlic and Breadcrumbs

by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLISSIMA

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Introduction

I always relish an opportunity to use up ingredients that are past their best. The thing to do is make breadcrumbs with stale bread whenever it's to hand. Stash the breadcrumbs in airtight bags in the deep freeze and use whenever needed, without thawing first. I am not totally old-school, though: I don't grate my stale bread to make breadcrumbs, but blitz it in the food processor. As a final note on the breadcrumbs, may I suggest you measure in volume not weight? Every batch of breadcrumbs seems to differ in density so much that when I cook with them I go by cup measures, but I have given the weight as well for those who feel reassured by that. How much or little you use here doesn't matter enormously, though. It's just not that kind of recipe.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

NIGELLISSIMA

2012

Buy Now

Image of Nigella's Spaghetti with Breadcrumbs — Photo by Petrina Tinslay

As featured in

NIGELLISSIMA

2012

Buy Now

Ingredients

Serves: 2

Metric Cups

200 grams spaghetti or spaghettini
salt for pasta water plus 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1 x 15ml tablespoon regular olive oil
zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
approx. 50 grams - ½ cup - breadcrumbs
2 x 15ml tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 clove garlic (peeled)
black pepper (to taste)
1 small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley (chopped)

7 ounces spaghetti or spaghettini
salt for pasta water plus 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1 tablespoon regular olive oil
zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
½ cup - approx. 50 grams - breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic (peeled)
black pepper (to taste)
1 small bunch fresh italian parsley (chopped)

Method

Bring water to the boil for your pasta, salting generously when it starts bubbling. Add the pasta, stir with a pasta fork or your equivalent and let the pasta cook according to packet instructions, tasting a couple of minutes before it's meant to be ready.
Warm the 1 tablespoon regular olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the lemon zest; it will sizzle fragrantly. Now add the breadcrumbs and toast by stirring them in the warm pan until they turn a deep gold. Remove immediately to a cold dish.
Important step: before draining the pasta, remove a cupful of the starchy water. I often mention it, nearly always in fact, but here it is crucial.
Tip the drained pasta back into its own cooking pan, then add the extra-virgin olive oil and half the lemon juice and toss to combine in the hot pan until a lot of the liquid is absorbed. Add the dried chilli flakes and salt (to taste) and grate in (or mince and add) the garlic, and toss again, adding some pasta-cooking liquid to help it amalgamate into a sparse but gleaming sauce. Season to taste and to check whether you want to add the remaining lemon juice.
Mix the chopped parsley into the toasted breadcrumbs and add most of the breadcrumb-parsley mix to the pasta, tossing well.
Divide between 2 warmed bowls and sprinkle the remaining lemony, parsley-flecked breadcrumbs over each.

Bring water to the boil for your pasta, salting generously when it starts bubbling. Add the pasta, stir with a pasta fork or your equivalent and let the pasta cook according to packet instructions, tasting a couple of minutes before it's meant to be ready.
Warm the 1 tablespoon regular olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the lemon zest; it will sizzle fragrantly. Now add the breadcrumbs and toast by stirring them in the warm pan until they turn a deep gold. Remove immediately to a cold dish.
Important step: before draining the pasta, remove a cupful of the starchy water. I often mention it, nearly always in fact, but here it is crucial.
Tip the drained pasta back into its own cooking pan, then add the extra-virgin olive oil and half the lemon juice and toss to combine in the hot pan until a lot of the liquid is absorbed. Add the red pepper flakes and salt (to taste) and grate in (or mince and add) the garlic, and toss again, adding some pasta-cooking liquid to help it amalgamate into a sparse but gleaming sauce. Season to taste and to check whether you want to add the remaining lemon juice.
Mix the chopped parsley into the toasted breadcrumbs and add most of the breadcrumb-parsley mix to the pasta, tossing well.
Divide between 2 warmed bowls and sprinkle the remaining lemony, parsley-flecked breadcrumbs over each.

Additional Information

MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
It is not advisable to make ahead or store.

Tell us what you think

What 8 Others have said

Really good simple food, I added anchovies for a Unami flavour

Posted by jojolilygp on 9th March 2023
I used a garlic-flavored sourdough bread to make the crumbs. Didn't think it would be an adequate amount of crumbs for the pasta but it was. And it was delicious. Perfect side for simply grilled salmon.

Posted by Morganthecat on 7th July 2022
Sensational, best pasta sauce I've had.

Posted by Uisgesea on 7th July 2022
Awesome dish! So much better than regular spaghetti with butter and parmesan cheese. Will make again and again. Thank you!

Posted by mbsaas on 26th January 2021
Nice dish. Fast and easy when you are too tired to cook. Nice use of mostly pantry staples. I added capers for a nice pop of briny goodness

Posted by Momcatp on 8th January 2021
Superdelicious!

Posted by ranocchiettaromana on 5th October 2020
This makes into a full meal with the addition of some capers and a nicely fried egg (or two). My comfort food go-to.

Posted by OldGrayMare on 5th October 2020
Absolutely delicious. I added a pinch of turmeric to my pasta water and hey presto lemon coloured pasta!

Posted by Kathryn Payandeh on 24th April 2020