Spaghetti With Fried Eggs and Roasted
Peppers
(NYT 6/25/00 Arthur Schwartz)
2 red
bell peppers
1 tablespoon salted capers, thoroughly rinsed and coarsely
chopped if large
1 or 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped (or
more to taste)
1/4 cup finely cut parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 rounded tablespoons fresh or dried bread crumbs
12 ounces spaghetti
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 eggs
Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, or a
combination.
1. Roast the peppers over a gas flame or in a 450-degree
oven until they are black and blistered. Peel and clean the
peppers, then slice into 2-by-1/4-inch strips.
2. In a small baking dish, combine the pepper strips,
capers, garlic and parsley. Season with salt and black
pepper. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top. Set aside until
you are ready to finish the dish. This can be done as far
ahead as the morning of an evening serving.
3. Boil a large pot of water for the spaghetti. Preheat the
oven to 350 degrees.
4. When ready to assemble the dish, add salt to the boiling
water. Just before placing the spaghetti in the salted
water, drizzle the pepper mixture with 2 tablespoons of the
olive oil and place it in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. While the pasta is boiling and the peppers are baking,
fry the eggs over medium heat in 2 or 3 tablespoons of
olive oil, sunny side up, until the whites are set and the
yolks are still runny.
6. Drain the pasta and pour it into a large (preferably
heated) serving bowl. Using 2 forks, toss in the baked
peppers and the fried eggs, using some or all of the olive
oil, too. As you toss, break the whites into pieces and let
the yolks act as sauce—they will spread over the
pasta and cook further from the heat. Serve immediately
with grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, or a combination
of the two.
Yield: 2 servings as a main course; 4 as a first course.