Spaghetti With Browned Butter and Crispy Bread Crumbs

Food & Wine, 06/07. Very good, comfort food for me. Perhaps, too much to my liking!

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 lbs spaghetti
• 1  tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄3 cup  dried breadcrumbs
• 1  teaspoon  finely grated lemon zest
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
•  crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2  tablespoons  chopped flat leaf parsley
• 3⁄4 cup unsalted butter
• 1  cup  grated  mizithra cheese or 1  cup ricotta salata
• 2  tablespoons  grated  mizithra cheese or 2  tablespoons ricotta salata
• 1  cup  freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2  tablespoons  freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the olive oil.
3. Add the bread crumbs and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes.
4. Remove the toasted bread crumbs from the heat and add the lemon zest.
5. Season with salt, pepper, & crushed red pepper flakes and let cool.
6. Stir in the parsley.
7. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat.
8. Cook until foamy and dark brown, about 5 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat.
10. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
11. Add the browned butter and the cheeses, season with salt and pepper and toss.
12. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with the bread crumbs and serve with the remaining dressing on the side.
13. *Myzithra is a Greek sheep's-milk cheese that is similar in texture to a dry ricotta cheese.