April 7: Spaghetti With Garlic, Olive Oil, And Spicy Bread Crumbs

It's been...an extraordinary evening. Several hours ago, as Dan, Max and I were leaving my office for the evening, someone nearby began firing a gun. I have no idea where they were or who they were shooting at, but easily the most frighting fifteen seconds of my life to date was the fifteen seconds between when I heard those shots and when the red light that we were sitting at turned green and my husband grimly peeled out, through the intersection, and away, past six cop cars racing past us in the other direction with the sirens screaming and lights flashing. We never looked back, but I still feel a little shaky, and very much on edge.

So, I'm thinking dinner tonight will be some sort of anti-anxiety medication, and a very large glass of wine.

Or. Or, I might make myself a bowl of slurpy, spicy pasta, full of appealling textures and flavors. This is just really my favorite thing to eat when I am so anxious that the only other thing that sounds remotely appealling is me chewing my arm off mid-bicep, just to have something else to think about.

Forgive me. It's been a rough night. This recipe should probably serve four; I may eat about half of it myself for dinner and then get out of bed at 2:30 this morning and come downstairs and eat the rest of it in the light of the open refrigerator door. This hardly seems like the time to think about my diet.

Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Spicy Bread Crumbs

2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, process bread crumbs in food processor until coarsely ground. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 3 minutes. Add half of garlic and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl and season with salt.

Wipe out skillet and add remaining 4 tablespoons oil, remaining garlic, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat until garlic is just golden., 1 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

Add 1 tablespoon salt and spaghetti to boiling water. Cook until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, drain pasta, and return to pot along with reserved water. Stir in oil mixture, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Season with salt and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Serve.