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. 6 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.