ST. JOSEPH’S DAY PASTA

Prep Time: 1 Hour
Yields: 4–6 Servings

Comment:
St. Joseph’s Day Altar, or the “feast day of St. Joseph,” is on March 19th. The tradition of building the altar to St. Joseph began as far back as the Middle Ages in gratitude to St. Joseph for answering prayers for deliverance from famine. The families of farmers and fisherman built altars in their homes to share their good fortune with others in need.

Ingredients for Pasta:
1 pound cooked linguini pasta
2 (3.75-ounce) cans sardines, chopped, drained and reserving half oil
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
1 cup diced onions
½ cup diced celery
¼ cup thinly sliced garlic
2 (14.5-ounce) can petite-diced tomatoes, with juice
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
½ cup sliced kalamata olives
¼ cup coarsely chopped basil leaves
2 tbsps fresh oregano leaves, chopped
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
1 cup small-cut broccoli florets for garnish
1½ cups toasted Italian breadcrumbs

Method for Pasta:
In a large sauté pan, heat reserved sardine oil over medium-high heat. Add the sardines, mushrooms, onions, celery and sliced garlic then sauté 2­–3 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce and sliced olives. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water to the sauce as needed should sauce become too thick. Add basil, oregano and red pepper flakes. Season to taste using salt, black pepper and granulated garlic. Add broccoli florets and cook 10–12 minutes or until tender. Place cooked pasta in a large bowl, top with 1 cup hot pasta sauce and toss gently to coat. To serve, place pasta in the center of a large serving platter and top with additional sauce. Garnish with toasted breadcrumbs or Mollicu (see recipe below).

Ingredients for Mollicu:
1 cup panko bread crumbs
salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
1 tsp dried Italian seasonings
2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil

Method for Mollicu:
In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, salt, black pepper, granulated garlic and Italian seasonings. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over low heat. Add seasoned bread crumbs and toss gently until evenly coated with oil. Sauté the mixture until lightly browned. Remove from heat, place in bowl and set aside to cool.