spaghettoni with breadcrumbs and tomato

spaghettoni con mollica e pomodoro

TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes

MAKES: 4 to 6 servings

Italians don't serve grated cheese with fish, so to add a little savory texture to a pasta with anchovies, breadcrumbs are used instead to great affect.

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Ingredients

Fine sea salt
4 ounces day-old rustic bread, cut into small pieces (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound tomatoes
1 pound spaghettoni or spaghetti
4 flat anchovy fillets
1 large garlic clove, gently smashed and peeled
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

Heat oven to 425º with rack in middle. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Spread bread onto a baking sheet; drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil, then sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss to combine. Bake, rotating pan once halfway through, until bread is golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool, then crush toasted bread into crumbs; set aside.

Add tomatoes to the boiling water; boil for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes to a colander to drain (reserve pot of boiling water), then drain, peel, quarter, seed and coarsely chop.

Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine remaining 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons oil, anchovies and garlic. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up anchovies with a wooden spoon, 3 minutes, then stir in tomatoes and parsley and cook 1 minute more. Remove sauce from heat; remove and discard garlic clove.

When pasta is al dente, drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Immediately add oil mixture and reserved breadcrumbs; toss together to combine well. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately.

September 2011