Fusilli Pasta with Sardines in Tomato Sauce
This savory pasta-and-sardine recipe uses breadcrumbs toasted in olive oil to build up a depth and complexity of flavor like you spent all day in the kitchen — but it comes together in just minutes. The crunchy breadcrumbs soak up the olive oil and are infused with a pungent kick of garlic that blends perfectly with the sardines’ rich tomato, olive and caper sauce. Don’t fuss too much over the quantity of basil and sun-dried tomato, this is meant to be a quick, rustic dish. It’s seaside summer on a plate.
Ingredients:
- ½ lb. fusilli pasta, such as Patagonia Provisions Organic Fusilli
- 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 garlic clove, finely diced
- 1 4.2-oz tin Patagonia Provisions Sardines in Tomato Sauce
- Handful of fresh basil leaves
- Sun-dried tomatoes to taste
Putting It All Together:
1. Put breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Add garlic and olive oil to the breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly.
2. Toast the breadcrumb mixture in a pan over medium-high heat until golden brown, taking care not to let the garlic burn. Once toasted, remove the breadcrumbs from the heated pan and set aside in small container.
3. Meanwhile, add pasta to a large pot of boiling, salted water. When cooked to desired firmness, drain pasta and transfer to clean plate for serving.
4. Top the pasta with the sardines, being sure to pour the sauce evenly over the fusilli, then add the garlicky breadcrumbs mixture. Add sun-dried tomatoes to your liking, then tear the basil leaves and sprinkle over the dish.