Recipe: Spaghetti with Tonnato and Crispy Breadcrumbs

Makes 4 servings

12 ounces spaghetti or bucatini

1/2 sweet French baguette (stale bread is better)

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt to taste

1 recipe Tonnato Sauce (see Tonnato Sauce with Crostini recipe on this page), about 3/4 cup

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta, then cook according to package directions.

2. While the water is coming to a boil, remove the crust or most of the crust from the baguette with a bread knife, then chop baguette into 1-inch cubes. Place in a food processor and process or pulse until broken down into rather large breadcrumbs.

3. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium to medium-low heat until bubbly. Add the olive oil and heat until the butter is lightly browned, about 3 minutes, watching closely. Add the breadcrumbs and toss in the pan until crispy and browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and remove from the pan (don't clean the pan).

4. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta, then add the pasta to the breadcrumb pan over low heat. Stir in the Tonnato Sauce and just enough of the reserved water to thinly coat the pasta without making the pasta too wet. Add half the breadcrumbs, stir to just combine, then serve in shallow bowls, topped with some of the remaining breadcrumbs.

Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle