These are hand-rolled spaghetti from Tuscany; they’re thick, like bucatini, but have no holes. They must be boiled right away, or they will stick together. I think this is a fine project for a rainy afternoon with a ten- or twelve-year-old who likes to cook. If you’re not in the mood, simply make spaghetti and follow the directions for this wonderful and simple sauce. This—as you’ll quickly gather—is poor people’s food, a rather meager dish. This does not prevent it from being delicious, which it is, but you might want to follow it with a meat or fish course and vegetables.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Mix together the flour, egg, a liberal amount of pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a bowl, then stir in water, about 1/4 cup at a time, until you have a pliable, fairly soft dough (the total amount of water will be less than a cup). Transfer to a floured board and work it with your hands, kneading the dough and adding flour as necessary until the dough is no longer sticky but still quite soft and pliable; don’t make it too tough (which will happen if you keep adding flour and working it).
Step 2
Roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick (you can do this in batches if you prefer). Cut a long piece, about 2 inches wide, then, using cornmeal for dusting, roll it into a snake. Pinch a piece off the snake and, with your hands, roll it into a—for want of a better word—worm, a section of pasta 2 or 3 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Set aside. Work quickly, using cornmeal to keep the strands separate.
Step 3
When they’re all ready, make the sauce first. Put the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the garlic and chiles; when they sizzle, add the bread crumbs and a large pinch of salt (there is no salt in the dough, so you will need a lot). Cook for a minute or so, until the crumbs brown a little but do not burn; keep warm over the lowest possible heat while you cook the pasta until it is tender but not mushy; it will take only a couple of minutes.
Step 4
Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the bread crumb sauce, adding as much of the reserved liquid as necessary to make the mixture moist. Serve immediately.
