Spaghetti with garlic, chili, olive oil and herbed breadcrumbs

From the South of Italy, a first course that has become one of the symbols of the Italian culinary tradition

Method

1. Put the water on to boil in a saucepan. Add salt when it reaches the boil.
2. Wash and thoroughly dry the parsley, then chop finely with a knife. Peel and finely slice the garlic. Halve the chili pepper, remove the seeds, and chop it roughly.
3. Heat a tablespoon (15 g) of oil in a large frying pan. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, chili and parsley and cook over a low flame, then add a ladleful of water and cook until the water evaporates. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.
4. Pulse the crostini and herbs in a food processor. Heat a teaspoon/5g of olive oil, add the breadcrumb mixture, and cook over a high heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. 5 Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions and drain, reserving a ladleful of cooking water. Add the spaghetti to the pan with the garlic, oil and chili sauce, and stir to combine over a medium heat. Add the cooking water a little at a time until the sauce is creamy.
5. Top with the herbed breadcrumbs and serve hot.

Cook's tip

The rosemary and sage can be substituted with fresh thyme or oregano. The sauce should be well-cooked. The longer the garlic cooks - without letting it burn - the more digestible it becomes.