Spaghetti with Bottarga and Almond Bread Crumbs

1 . Stage

Soak the capers in a bowl of cold water for 1 hour. Drain and finely chop the capers.

2 . Stage

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let the almonds cool, then coarsely chop them; transfer to a food processor and finely grind.

3 . Stage

Spread the bread crumbs on the baking sheet and toast in the oven until crisp. Let cool, then toss with the almonds and parsley.

4 . Stage

In a large pot, melt the butter in 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the capers, crushed red pepper, and half of the bottarga and cook over moderate heat until sizzling, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

5 . Stage

In another large pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti, stirring, until al dente. Drain the spaghetti, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the bottarga sauce. Stir in the reserved cooking water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the pasta is coated with a rich sauce.

6 . Stage

Scatter one-fourth of the bread crumb mixture in a large, shallow bowl. Top with one-third of the pasta. Repeat the layering twice more, ending with the bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle the remaining bottarga over the pasta and drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Serve right away.Looking for more dinner options? Check out our pork chop recipes, chicken recipes, and potato recipes.