Garlic-lemon Spaghetti with Fried Egg

I’ve been researching the odd pairing of spaghetti and fried eggs for more than a year now. The discussion rose to a fever pitch when I recently posted on Twitter that I had quail eggs and I didn’t know what to do with them – chefs and foodies answered the call, many suggesting I put them in some sort of pasta dish. Like in a ravioli, or spaghetti with a fried egg on top, the runny yolk becoming a creamy sauce that you swirl your pasta in.

I had to try this, and I loved it. Grant said he would wash 1,000 dishes if he could eat meals like this all the time (well, obvs!). The beauty is how simple it is – garlic and olive oil season pasta with toasted bread crumbs and a fried egg on top. I jazzed it up with fresh lemon zest and parsley. Lemon zest brightens up ordinary pasta and parsley adds a certain freshness.

Then the fresh bread crumbs – wow! I cooked mine on a stove top instead of the oven, so they slowly absorbed the flavor of the olive oil. We were literally licking the extra crumbs off our plates.

I highly recommend this recipe – perfect for a weeknight or a lazy Saturday dinner. Just do NOT overcook the eggs. You want these babies all runny-like.

Garlic-lemon Spaghetti with Fried Egg

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 2 slices high quality white sandwich bread, torn into pieces (I used leftover buns from BBQ sandwiches – like Wonderbread – yum!)
• 6 T EVOO
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/2 lb. spaghetti
• 1/4 c. grated Parm-Reg cheese, more for serving
• 2 large eggs, cracked into a small bowl
• Zest from 1 lemon
• Handful parsley, chopped

Pulse bread in food processor until you have coarse crumbs. Transfer to bowl and stir in 1 T EVOO, pinch salt and pepper. Heat medium skillet over medium and add the crumbs, stirring until toasted – 10-15 min. (Note: they will still be soft, which I prefer. Baking them makes them crunchier) Set aside.

Start water for pasta. Meanwhile, heat medium nonstick skillet over medium and add 2 T EVOO, the garlic, pepper flakes, 1/8 tsp salt and a little cracked pepper. Cook until garlic foams and is straw-colored, 8-10 min. Pour into small bowl and set aside. Wipe out pan. Keep pan on low heat until you’re ready for the eggs.

When water is boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a bit of the cooking water. Toss pasta with garlic-oil mixture, 2 T EVOO, cheese and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover and set aside until eggs are ready.

When the skillet is hot again, add 2 T EVOO and eggs. Season with S&P, then cover and cook until the whites are set but yolks still runny, 2-3 min. Uncover and remove from heat.

Time to serve! Loosen pasta with reserved water, if needed, and divide between two bowls. Sprinkle each with bread crumbs, then top with fried egg. Finish with chopped parsley, lemon zest and additional Parm-Reg cheese.

YUM, people!

I wish I had a picture of the yolks running into the pasta – it really has a wonderful rich-but-smooth flavor. Even the whites are absolutely delicious. I can honestly say I would never have though to put eggs on top of pasta, but it’s my new favorite thing.

Enjoy, friends! xoxo