Pasta Milanese with Lemony Parmesan Breadcrumbs
This Pasta Milanese is a pantry-friendly take on the Sicilian and Italian-American classic, made with a savory tomato-anchovy sauce, fennel, and lemony parmesan breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 10 ounces bucatini, spaghetti, or linguine
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 anchovy fillets finely chopped, or 1½–2 teaspoons anchovy paste
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds lightly crushed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup reserved pasta water plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Pine nuts for serving, optional
For the Lemony Parmesan Breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the breadcrumbs. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until golden and toasted. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- Start the sauce. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, anchovies or anchovy paste, fennel seeds, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until the anchovies melt into the oil and the tomato paste deepens in color.
- Simmer the sauce. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Toss the pasta. Add the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss until the pasta is glossy and well coated, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Finish and serve. Divide pasta among bowls and top generously with the lemony parmesan breadcrumbs and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
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