Supplies
- Spaghetti pangrattato:
- 200g spaghetti
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- Handful chopped parsley
- 100g garlic bread, roughly blitzed
- 2 cloves garlic - bashed in skins
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Sopa de Ajo (Castillian garlic and bread soup):
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2/3 garlic baguette (reserve 2 slices)
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 700ml chicken stock
- 2 poached eggs
- Croque Monsieur:
- 4 large slices of garlic bread
- 30g butter
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 100ml milk
- 100g gruyère, grated
- Nutmeg
- Dijon mustard
- 2 slices of cooked ham
Steps
- Spaghetti pangrattato: cook the pasta in salted boiling water.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and add the two bashed garlic bulbs. Cook for a few minutes then tip in the blitzed garlic bread.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes, until nicely browned, then remove from the pan.
- Add another 2 tbsp oil, and fry off the garlic and chilli flakes, over a medium heat, for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the al dente pasta and half a ladle of pasta water to the pan, and swirl around for 30 seconds until the water has been absorbed and the garlic and chilli are mixed through the spaghetti.
- Plate, then load with garlic breadcrumbs and serve.
- Sopa de ajo (Castillian garlic and bread soup): heat the oil in a large saucepan.
- Rip up the garlic bread into 3cm chunks and add to the pot, then sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- When the garlic bread is nicely browned, add the garlic and paprika, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes. The bread should dissolve and leave you with a smooth, creamy soup.
- Fry the remaining two slices of garlic bread in hot oil until golden brown.
- Ladle the soup into two serving bowls, add a poached egg to each and a piece of garlic bread toast.
- Croque Monsieur: melt the butter in a small saucepan, then stir in the flour to make a paste.
- Slowly add the milk, beating it in each time to make a smooth sauce - cook for a few minutes until it’s thickened.
- Take off the heat, stir in a third of the gruyère and add a few grates of nutmeg - stir until the cheese has melted, then taste for seasoning.
- Fry the garlic bread slices, garlic side down, until golden brown and crisp, then remove from the pan - add a bit more butter during cooking, if necessary.
- Cooked-side facing down, spread dijon on two pieces of the garlic bread.
- Add the ham slices, then split the remaining cheese between the two pieces of garlic bread.
- Grill these two pieces gently to melt the cheese, then add the remaining slices to top the sandwiches.
- Spoon béchamel onto the top of the sandwiches and grill for around 5 minutes until bubbling and golden brown, then serve.