Salerno-Style Spaghetti

Hello! Welcome to Djalali Cooks. Today’s recipe is as simple as The Easiest Pasta with Butter and Cheese, but Salerno-Style Pasta ups the ante with breadcrumbs, parsley and a fried egg, which tops each serving like a beautiful golden crown. The pasta is made creamy with parmesan and pasta water, flecked with parsley, garlic and red pepper flakes. A generous sprinkling of toasted panko gives a satisfying crunch. Then we have the fried egg; the yolk adds its own savory sauce. Let’s make this Salerno-Style Spaghetti!

Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs

I happen to have toasted Panko on hand, but if you don’t, making them is easy. Get a 12-inch nonstick pan heating over medium-low heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. When the pan is hot, toss in 1/2 cup of panko with a sprinkling of kosher salt. toss or stir the panko occasionally and toast until the breadcrumbs are an even golden color. Transfer to a small dish and set aside.

Garlic Oil

Now we will move on to the pasta recipe. Get a large pot with 4 quarts of water to boil.

In that same 12-inch nonstick pan you used to toast the panko, over low heat, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil with the garlic, red pepper flakes and kosher salt. Stir the mixture and cook until the garlic is straw colored. Be sure to not let the garlic get too golden or toasted.

Transfer the garlic oil to a small bowl and set aside. Wipe out the skillet, we will use it later for the eggs.

Salerno-Style Spaghetti

When the water is boiling add, two tablespoons of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (or one tablespoon table salt, or Morton’s Kosher). Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente, likely about 9 minutes. When the pasta is cooked to al dente, transfer out 1.5 cups of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, get that 12-inch nonstick set over low heat. let the skillet slowly warm up while we finish the pasta.

Pour the drained spaghetti back into the pot. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the pasta, pour in the garlic oil, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and stir to combine. Add the chopped parsley and 2 teaspoons kosher salt and stir. Add 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water and continue stirring vigorously to melt the cheese and fully coat the pasta, creating a creamy sauce. Cover to keep the pasta warm while we make the eggs.

To make more than one serving, you want to cook multiple eggs at a time. To ensure the eggs cook at the same rate, crack two eggs into a small bowl. If making four, crack two eggs into each of two bowls. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the skillet if making 4 eggs, 1 tablespoon if making 2 eggs. Swirl the oil to coat the pan. Then, at the same time (one bowl in each hand if making four eggs) pour the cracked eggs into the skillet. Sprinkle the eggs with a little kosher salt and black pepper.

Fry the eggs until most of the whites are cooked. then remove from heat and cover the pan. While the egg whites finish cooking, to the pasta, stir in as much of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the pasta to a smooth, creamy consistency. Use tongs to transfer each serving to shallow wide bowls.

Uncover the eggs and use a nonstick-safe spatula to separate the eggs if you’ve made more than one. Then transfer each egg to top each serving of Salerno-Style Spaghetti.

Then top each serving with a generous sprinkling of the toasted panko breadcrumbs.

The Salerno-Style Spaghetti is already creamy and delicious on its own; but then the fried egg, with its runny yolk really puts this pasta dish over the top. The yolk is like a sauce, adding to the mellow savoriness of the pasta. The lacy-edges of the fried egg whites bring a texture variation that works so well with the chewy pasta and the crispy breadcrumbs.

Definitely try this Salerno-Style Spaghetti! It’s a perfect way to give an egg its time to shine! Take care and be well, xo Kelly

Key Equipment

Print Recipe

Salerno-Style Spaghetti

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Loading...

Dinner, Main Course – Italian

By Cook's Illustrated – Serves: 4

Prep Time: ~25 Minutes – Cooking Time: ~15 Minutes – Total Time: ~40 Minutes

A simple recipe, Salerno-Style Pasta ups the ante with breadcrumbs, parsley and a fried egg, which tops each serving like a golden crown.

Ingredients

• Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• Pinch of Kosher Salt
• Garlic Oil
• 3 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 medium Garlic Cloves, pressed or minced
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
• Salerno-Style Spaghetti
• 1 lb. Spaghetti
• 2 tbsp. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (or one tablespoon table salt, or Morton's Kosher), for the Pasta Water
• 3 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 tsp. Kosher Salt
• ~1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for serving if desired
• 1/4 cup Minced Fresh Parsley
• Eggs
• 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 Large Eggs, cracked into 2 small bowls (2 eggs per bowl)
• Sprinkle Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

Instructions

Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs

1

Get a 12-inch nonstick pan heating over medium-low heat with a tablespoon of olive oil. When the pan is hot, toss in 1/2 cup of panko with a sprinkling of kosher salt. Toss or stir the panko occasionally and toast until the breadcrumbs are an even golden color. Transfer to a small dish and set aside.

Garlic Oil

2

Get a large pot with 4 quarts of water to boil.

3

In that same 12-inch nonstick pan you used to toast the panko, over low heat, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil with the garlic, red pepper flakes and kosher salt. Stir the mixture and cook until the garlic is straw colored. Be sure to not let the garlic get too golden or toasted.

4

Transfer the garlic oil to a small bowl and set aside. Wipe out the skillet, we will use it later for the eggs.

Salerno-Style Spaghetti

5

When the water is boiling add, two tablespoons of Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (or one tablespoon table salt, or Morton's Kosher). Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente, likely about 9 minutes. When the pasta is cooked to al dente, transfer out 1.5 cups of the pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta.

6

Meanwhile, get that 12-inch nonstick set over low heat. Let the skillet slowly warm up while we finish the pasta.

7

Pour the drained spaghetti back into the pot. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the pasta, pour in the garlic oil, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and stir to combine. Add the chopped parsley and 2 teaspoons kosher salt and stir. Add 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water and continue stirring vigorously to melt the cheese and fully coat the pasta, creating a creamy sauce. Cover to keep the pasta warm while we make the eggs.

Eggs

8

Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the skillet if making 4 eggs, 1 tablespoon if making 2 eggs. Swirl the oil to coat the pan. Then, at the same time (one bowl in each hand if making four eggs) pour the cracked eggs into the skillet. Sprinkle the eggs with a little kosher salt and black pepper.

9

Fry the eggs until most of the whites are cooked. then remove from heat and cover the pan.

Finishing

10

While the egg whites finish cooking, to the pasta, stir in as much of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the pasta to a smooth, creamy consistency. Use tongs to transfer each serving to shallow wide bowls.

11

Uncover the eggs and use a nonstick-safe spatula to separate the eggs if you've made more than one. Then transfer each egg to top each serving of Salerno-Style Spaghetti.

12

Then top each serving with a generous sprinkling of the toasted panko breadcrumbs.

This post may contain affiliate links; when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission on qualifying items.