It's early August which means one thing: tomatoes –– lots and lots of tomatoes. Sun-kissed, ripe and abundant, our garden bushes weigh heavily and the farmers market tables are laden with heirlooms, cherries, plums and early girls. Naturally, we oblige and pick, buy, eat, then repeat. So in this season of plenty, it helps to get creative with our juicy bounty. Here is a light and simple dinner that gobbles up its fair share of sweet cherry tomatoes, easily prepared in less than 30 minutes.
Linguine with Cherry Tomatoes and Breadcrumb Gremolata
Serves 4
Ingredients
Gremolata
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or panko
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley and/or basil
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
To Prepare
- Toast the breadcrumbs in a dry skillet until light golden.
- Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.
- Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.
Pasta
- 1 pound linguine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
To Prepare
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling bowl.
- Add the linguine and cook until al dente; drain.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down, but don’t completely dissolve, about 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the linguine to the skillet and toss to combine.
- Divide among serving plates and sprinkle with the gremolata. Serve immediately.
