Observer Food Monthly's 20 best recipesPastaRecipe for pasta with yoghurt and parsley breadcrumbs – ma’caroneh bil laban by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley
A quick and comforting midweek supper dish
Pasta was a favourite of Sami and his older brother, Azam, when they were kids. Na’ama (Sami’s mum) used to make it two ways. The first was ma’caroneh bil foroun, a kind of Palestinian pasta al forno: juicy thick macaroni soaked in a meaty tomato sauce. Azam and Sami used to tussle over who got to the crispy bits on top first, then race to see who could slurp the tubes of pasta the fastest. Na’ama’s second pasta staple was lighter and more refreshing, baked this time with yoghurt and nuts. This is our take on that. It can be served warm or at room temperature.
Everything should be freshly cooked. It’s a quick dish to make, though, perfect for a comforting midweek supper.
Serves 4
olive oil 75ml
unsalted butter 65g
panko breadcrumbs 40g
parsley 15g, roughly chopped
chilli flakes ½ tsp
pine nuts 60g
smoked paprika ½ tsp
Greek-style yoghurt 500g
garlic 3 cloves, crushed
ground cumin 1 tsp
egg yolks 2
orecchiette pasta 500g, or penne or conchiglie
basil leaves 5g, roughly torn
salt and black pepper
Put 1 tablespoon of the oil into a medium sauté pan along with 15g of the butter. Place on a medium heat and, once bubbling, add the panko, ⅛ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring often, or until lightly golden. Add 5g of the parsley and the chilli flakes, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, or until deeply crisp and golden. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper (or a sealed container, if making in advance) and set aside.
Wipe the pan clean and add the remaining 50g of butter. Place on a medium heat and, once bubbling, add the pine nuts. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, then add the paprika. Cook for another 3 minutes, continuing to stir, or until the pine nuts are deeply golden. Pour the mixture into a bowl and set aside.
Put the yoghurt into a large bowl (large enough to hold the pasta, once it’s cooked) with the garlic, cumin, egg yolks and the remaining 60ml of olive oil. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Cook for about 10 minutes (or according to packet instructions), until al dente. Reserve 60ml of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta into a sieve. Add the hot pasta to the bowl of yoghurt, along with the 60ml of reserved cooking liquid and the remaining 10g of parsley.
Stir well to combine, then divide between 4 shallow bowls. Spoon over the pine nut butter, sprinkle over the breadcrumbs, top with the basil and serve at once.
From Falastin: A Cookbook by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley (Ebury, £28). To order a copy for £24.64, go to guardianbookshop.com
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