Spaghetti with roasted chestnuts, hazelnuts, and sage
Instructions:
- PASTA:
- Fine sea salt;
- ¾ pound whole wheat spaghetti.
- CHESTNUT TOPPING:
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle;
- 16 whole fresh sage leaves, stemmed, rinsed, and patted dry;
- 20 roasted or steamed whole peeled chestnuts, sliced ¼ inch thick (1 slightly heaped cup);
- ½ cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts (2 ounces);
- ¼ cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs;
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves);
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt;
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (½ ounce), plus extra for serving.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt as you see fit and then the pasta, stirring a few times. Return to a boil with the lid on; uncover and cook at a gentle boil until the pasta is just short of al dente, according to the package directions.
- While the pasta is cooking, make the chestnut topping. Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the sage leaves—they should sizzle when they hit the oil—and fry them until the sizzle subsides, about 1 minute. Using tongs or a spatula, transfer the leaves to the paper towel-lined plate. Decrease the heat to medium and stir in the chestnuts and hazelnuts (they may splatter!). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the nuts turn golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Decrease the heat if the nuts start to burn. Add the bread crumbs, garlic, and salt; cook until the garlic turns fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and partially cover, if the pasta is not ready.
- To finish, drain the pasta (but do not shake off the water), reserving ¾ cup of the cooking liquid. Return the pasta to the pot. Add a scant ½ cup of the cooking liquid and toss vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes; add more cooking liquid by the tablespoon until the pasta does not absorb more. Toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Spoon on the chestnut topping, sprinkle with the cheese, and garnish with the sage leaves. Serve at once with more Parmesan on the side, and drizzle with more olive oil at the table if you like.