St. Joseph's Spaghetti: A March 19th tradition (2024)

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St. Joseph’s Spaghetti, aka Spaghetti di San Giuseppe,is a pasta dish recipe traditionally served on March 19th and Christmas Eve. A plate of spaghetti which has been coated with a mixture of olive oil, toasted breadcrumbs, walnuts, garlic, golden raisins and parsley.

St. Joseph’s Spaghetti

Think about this for a minute: a plate of carbs (pasta), served with more carbs (toasted breadcrumbs). The breadcrumbs in this recipe are very symbolic – they are meant to represent sawdust (since Saint Joseph was a carpenter), and cheese (since this was a poor man’s dish).

This is a classic example of cucina povera -which literally means “cooking of the poor”. Another example of this peasant cooking would be this recipe for Cacio e Uova or this easy recipe forPasta and Lentils.

Perhaps this pasta with breadcrumbs recipe doesn’t sound very appetizing to you. I assure you that once you taste it, the combination of sweetness with the mild nutty flavor really works well with the pasta.

What do I need to makeSt. Joseph’s Spaghetti?

Olive oil: Extra virgin if available.
Garlic: Feel free to use more than the stated amount.
Coarse breadcrumbs: Homemade if possible.
Walnuts: Chopped finely.
Parsley: Provides a wonderful contrast in color as well as a clean bright flavor.
Golden raisins:A wonderful burst of sweetness.
Spaghetti:The pasta of choice when making this dish. Look for spaghetti no 5.
Orange rind: Optional, but provides a citrus undertone.

Optional ingredient: Anchovies

As far as accessories are concerned, you will need a large pot to cook the pasta as well as a colander. Also required is a wooden board and a sharp knife to properly chop up the garlic, walnuts and parsley.Finally a large skillet and a wooden spoon to stir fry a few of the ingredients.

How to make St. Joseph’s Spaghetti:

In a large skillet, saute the garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes. If using anchovies, add a couple of them at this point.

Add the breadcrumbs and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and continue to saute. Add the walnuts, raisins and parsley and saute this mixture until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and toasty.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to your package label.

Add one cup of pasta water to the bread mixture if it appears dry.

Once the spaghetti is cooked, simply combine the two by layering in a large bowl.

This pasta dish can be served hot or at room temperature.

Based on my personal experience, this is one of those dishes that you either love or hate. As you can probably guess, I belong to the group that loves this recipe.

If ever you have leftover spaghetti, you can always make this Baked Spaghetti Pie.

Origin of the recipe for St. Joseph’s Spaghetti Recipe:

As you can well imagine, this is another recipe which was part of my Italian heritage.

In my upbringing, Saint Joseph’s Day Spaghetti recipe was only served twice a year: Christmas Eve and on March 19^th in honor of Saint Joseph. As you are probably aware, there is another more popular food tradition celebrated on this day: Zeppole di San Giuseppe(just follow the link for the recipe).

Recipe

St. Joseph's Spaghetti Recipe

Spaghetti which has been coated with a mixture of olive oil, breadcrumbs, walnuts, garlic, golden raisins and parsley. Saint Josephs Day Spaghetti recipe.

5 from 25 votes

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Course: Main

Ingredients

8 tablespoons olive oil divided
6 garlic cloves minced
2 cups unseasoned coarse breadcrumbs
2 cups finely chopped walnuts about 200 grams
4 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
¾ cup of golden raisins plumped (about 100 grams)
1 pound spaghetti 454 grams (1 package)
salt to taste
pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Orange peel optional

Instructions

In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Sauté the garlic until fragrant, 1-2 minutes (do not brown).
Reduce heat to medium low and add the breadcrumbs.
Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and combine. Stir together for about 2 minutes (breadcrumbs will get slightly toasted and should absorb the oil).
Add the chopped walnuts and stir fry for another 2 minutes.
Add raisins and parsley. Stir to combine for 1-2 minutes. Set aside. Add up to 1 cup of the cooking water (from the pasta) if the mixture appears to dry.
OPTIONAL: Add orange peel and combine with the raisins and parsley.
Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
Drain the pasta and reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water. Drizzle 2 more tablespoons of olive oil.
In a large serving dish, alternate layers of pasta and bread mixture (top with bread mixture).
Note: Remove orange rind if used in the mixture.
Garnish with parsley and drizzle remaining olive oil.

Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Video

Notes

Feel free to adjust the amount of garlic, walnuts and raisins based on personal preference.
Use a vegetable peeler to get slivers of orange peel.
This dish is usually served at room temperature.
If possible, make your own coarse breadcrumbs as the commercial variety is usually too fine.

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.

Nutrition