Bruschetta pasta, heavy on the breadcrumbs

Name: Bruschetta pasta, heavy on the breadcrumbs
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 1 large bunch basil; 300g pitted kalamata olives; 4½ cups quartered cherry tomatoes; ½ small red onion, very finely diced; 1 large garlic clove, grated; dried spaghetti (about 55-65g per serve); 4 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp oregano leaves; 1 garlic clove, grated; 1½ cups breadcrumbs

Katrina Meynink

March 6, 2023

Bruschetta, but make it spaghetti.Katrina Meynink

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4-6

Here's one for those "all I can manage is to throw a heft of dried pasta in some boiling water" moments. It's light and bright and perfect for hot nights. My only caveat: basil. So, so much fresh basil. Plus room temperature tomatoes so the juices are ready to flow. And please make your own breadcrumbs with a knob of leftover sourdough; the difference it makes to this (and any) dish is significant.

Ingredients

1 large bunch basil
300g pitted kalamata olives
4½ cups quartered cherry tomatoes
½ small red onion, very finely diced
1 large garlic clove, grated
dried spaghetti (about 55-65g per serve)
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp oregano leaves
1 garlic clove, grated
1½ cups breadcrumbs

Method

Step 1
Gently pick the leaves from the bunch of basil. Coarsely chop half the leaves and add to a bowl and set aside. Reserve the remaining leaves to serve.
Step 2
Add the pitted kalamata olives to a food processor and quickly blitz to combine. You want them to be coarsely chopped rather than pulped to a tapenade-like consistency.
Step 3
Immediately add the chopped olives to the bowl of basil, along with the chopped tomatoes, diced onion and grated garlic. Gently stir to combine, then season very generously with salt and pepper. Set aside for the flavours to infuse and the tomatoes to release their juices.
Step 4
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to packet instructions.
Step 5
While the pasta is cooking, add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, garlic and oregano leaves to a frying pan over low heat. As soon as the oil has warmed and the garlic and oregano smell fragrant, add the breadcrumbs and, stirring regularly, cook until nicely toasted. Set aside.
Step 6
Strain the pasta and turn it back into the pot. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, using tongs to coat.
Step 7
Add the pasta to a large serving bowl and top with the chopped tomato mixture. Top with all the breadcrumbs and scatter over the remaining basil leaves. Season again with salt and pepper and serve immediately.