Garlic and Spice and All Things Nice: Pasta & Eggs for Breakfast!

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Whenever I have a traditional Italian breakfast of espresso or cappuccino and something sweet like brioche (cornetto) or cookies, I enjoy it immensely. Until 30 minutes later when my insides feel shaky from the sugar and caffeine. To prevent myself from perishing, I embrace my inner Hobbit and make Second Breakfast!

My breakfast of choice is something many people might not actually eat for breakfast: pasta and eggs. I'm not talking carbonara. My pasta and eggs are garlicky, spicy, and a bit salty!

The sauce is made from garlic and red pepper flakes cooked slowly in extra virgin olive oil.  Once the pasta is mixed with the oil, I top it with over easy eggs and stir them in.  The yolk and the oil mixing together coats the pasta beautifully.   Unlike most pasta dishes, I drain the pasta well and do not add any starchy water to the finished dish because the water dilutes the yolk and removes both flavor and richness. Since the sauce is simple, use a good quality extra virgin olive oil; my favorite is Farchioni Il Casolare from Olio&Olive. It's organic, cold pressed, and unfiltered which showcases the slight and beautiful bitterness of the olives.

Because I make this so often just for myself, the recipe has two variations: one generous serving and family style.

If you can't face garlic and chilies first thing in the morning, try this pasta for lunch or dinner. It pairs well with a strong red wine.

For One:

2/3 cup of short-cut dry pasta like penne, pennette or ditalini

Salt

2 – 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil plus more for garnish

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped or sliced

Pinch to ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

2 eggs

Salt & pepper to taste

Coarse or flaked sea salt as garnish (optional)

1 TBS chopped fresh parsley as garnish (optional)

Slice of crusty Italian bread or baguette (optional)

 Family Style:

1 pound of short-cut dry pasta  like penne, pennette or ditalini

Salt

¼ - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for garnish

6 - 8 cloves of garlic, depending on taste, peeled and roughly chopped or sliced

½ - 1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

8 eggs

Salt & pepper to taste

Coarse or flaked sea salt as garnish (optional)

3 TBS chopped fresh parsley as garnish (optional)

Crusty Italian bread or baguette (optional)

Cover a large pot of cold water with a lid and bring it to a boil on high heat.  Remove the lid and add a handful of salt.  Add the pasta and cook according to package directions to al dente (tender but not mushy).   

Halfway through the pasta cooking time, add the olive oil (2 TBS for One; ¼ cup for Family Style), garlic, and red pepper flakes to a nonstick skillet.  Heat the skillet on low and cook the garlic for 3 – 5 minutes or until it is soft and lightly golden but not brown.

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it and return it to the pot. Carefully pour the garlic and pepper oil over the pasta and stir gently, coating the pasta well.

Return the skillet to the burner and raise the heat to medium-low. There should be enough residual oil in the pan to cook the eggs but if there isn’t, add a splash more. Crack the eggs into the oil.  Cook for 1 – 2 minutes or until the whites have set.  Carefully flip the eggs and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute (the yolk should be runny).  Sprinkle the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Slide the eggs onto the pasta. Using a spoon or spatula, break the yolks and roughly chop the egg whites and stir them into the pasta, coating the pasta evenly with the yolks. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if needed.

Serve the pasta immediately.  If you like, garnish it with coarse sea salt, parsley, and an extra drizzle of olive oil. And when you finish the pasta, don't let that silky sauce go to waste: fai la scarpetta ("make the little shoe") or as we say in English, sop it up with some crusty bread!

 Helpful Hints

1) You may be tempted to skip a step and cook the eggs in the oil along with the garlic and red pepper flakes.  Don’t.  The garlic and red pepper will stick to the eggs, the eggs will be in too much hot oil for too long, the yolks will become hard, and the whites will turn rubbery.

2) If the garlic starts to turn brown, turn off the heat and remove the skillet from the burner.  About 15 seconds before pouring it over the cooked pasta, return the skillet to the burner and heat on low.  If the garlic turns dark brown and hard, it will become bitter.  Discard and start again.

I prefer larger pieces of garlic in this pasta. However, if you like minced or grated garlic, reduce the cooking time to 1 - 2 minutes and watch it to prevent it from burning.

You can also use jarred minced garlic. The jar should have a  conversion rate on it but usually, depending on taste, ½ to 1 teaspoon of minced garlic equals one clove of fresh garlic.