Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl and reserve.
In a large pasta pot, bring four quarts of water to a boil
and add 1 Tbsp. salt. Preheat the broiler.In a large skillet,
heat the olive oil and garlic over a low flame. Cook the
garlic slivers until they turn a light golden brown. This
should be a slow process in which the oil becomes infused
with the garlic’s fragrance. When the slivers are golden,
remove them with a slotted spoon and discard.
Add the red pepper flakes to the oil and cook approximately
30 seconds to impart their warmth to the oil. Toss the
spinach in the oil and cook until limp, turning often with tongs
or a kitchen fork. Remove the pan from the heat and reserve
until pasta is done. Plunge the pasta into the boiling water and
cook until al dente. Just before draining the pasta, ladle 1 C.
of its cooking water into the spinach and oil and place the
pasta over moderate heat. Drain the linguine and sprinkle the
cheese directly onto the steaming pasta. Add the linguine to
the pan with the spinach and oil and toss well. Transfer the
pasta to an ovenproof serving platter and sprinkle with the
bread crumb mix. Broil until the crumbs are golden brown
and serve immediately.