START TO FINISH: 40 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
This classic Venetian dish typically uses bigoli, a whole-wheat pasta shaped like fat spaghetti. We liked it with regular spaghetti, as well as with bucatini (also called perciatelli), a tubular spaghetti-like shape. The panko topping isn’t traditional, but it adds a welcome crispness, toasted in olive oil and flavored with chopped parsley and lemon zest.
Don’t rinse the anchovies before mincing, as this will wash away some flavor.
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
¾ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges, to serve
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
12 ounces spaghetti or bucatini (see note)
3 tablespoons minced anchovy fillets, plus 4 teaspoons anchovy oil
2 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½ cups dry white wine or vermouth
¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 4 pieces
In a 12-inch skillet over medium, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool for a few minutes, then stir in the parsley, lemon zest and ¾ teaspoon salt. Wipe out the skillet.
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pasta and 2 tablespoons salt; cook until al dente. Drain well, then return the pasta to the pot.
Meanwhile, set the skillet over medium-high and heat the anchovy oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the onions are well browned and the garlic is golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the anchovies, then add the wine, pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil over high and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the butter and swirl until it blends into the sauce.
Add the sauce to the pasta and toss, then mix in ½ cup of the panko mixture. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining panko mixture and serve with lemon wedges.