Pasta Tahdig

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 60 minutes

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain well and return pasta to pot, off the heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil, tomato sauce, 1 cup parmesan and red pepper flakes. Stir well with tongs to combine. 
• Preheat a 10” nonstick pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons oil. When it shimmers, pile in the pasta, and use a silicone spatula to lightly pat it evenly down into the pan. The pan may seem perilously full, but the pasta will condense as it cooks. Use spatula to gently coax the pasta on the edges into a cakelike shape, and reduce heat to medium low. Add oil if needed until you can see it gently bubbling up the sides of the pa; this will ensure that the edges of the tahdig are brown. 
• Cook, rotating pan a quarter-turn every 5 minutes to ensure even browning. Periodically run spatula around the edges to prevent sticking. After 15-20 minutes, cover the pan with a pizza pan or large, flat pot lid. Carefully flip tahdig onto pan. 
• Add 3 tablespoons of oil back into pan, and return to medium heat. Carefully slide tahdig back into pan, using spatula to coax it back into shape. When oil begins to gently bubble up the sides of the pan, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for 15-20 minutes, rotating pan a quarter-turn every 5 minutes.
• Wipe pizza pan clean and flip tahdig onto pan as before. If either side can use a little more crisping, return tahdig to pan without oil, increase heat to medium high and cook for 60-90 seconds, until sizzling and properly browned.
• Dab away any excess grease with a paper towel. Allow tahdig to cool for 5-10 minutes before using a sharp bread knife to cut into slices. Serve warm or at room temperature with additional grated parmesan.