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Ingredients
Sauce and pasta
½ cup olive oil for the sauce
4 cloves garlic smashed- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 1 tbsp capers drained
- 2 cups oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp smoked paprika
black pepper freshly ground, to taste- 1 lb medium pasta such as campanelle or cavatelli
kosher salt for the pasta water and to taste
Crisp topping
- 2 tbsp olive oil for the crumbs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
parsley chopped, for serving
Equipment
Equipment images are illustrative. Exact products may vary.
Instructions
- Warm the sauce oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, pine nuts and capers. Cook for about 5 minutes, swirling occasionally, until the garlic and nuts turn golden. Watch closely to keep them from burning.
- Carefully transfer the warm oil mixture to a food processor. Keep the saucepan for the crumbs. Add the drained sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, paprika and a generous grind of pepper, then pulse into a thick paste.
- Boil the pasta in salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water. Return the drained pasta to its pot off the heat.
- Add the blended sun-dried tomato mixture and 1 cup of the reserved water to the pasta. Toss thoroughly, adding more reserved water a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta. Taste before adding salt because the tomatoes and capers may supply enough.
- Warm the separate crumb oil in the reserved saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the panko and a pinch of salt. Stir frequently for about 5 minutes, until evenly golden and crisp.
- Serve the pasta in shallow bowls with the toasted crumbs and chopped parsley sprinkled over each portion.
Notes
Drain the oil-packed tomatoes before measuring them. Salt levels vary between tomatoes and capers; adjust the finished sauce after tasting.
The sauce oil and crumb oil are separate measures. Reserve pasta water before draining so the tomato paste can be loosened as needed.
