Lemony Pasta With Blistered Cherry Tomatoes and Crispy Caper Crumbs
- ⏱ 40 minutes
- Medium
- Serves 4
- 👥 2-cook recipe
Fusilli is tossed with blistered cherry tomatoes, lemon, basil, and a crispy caper-anchovy breadcrumb topping.
Adapted from Serious Eats.
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This recipe, inside the app
Two phones, one plan. Tap a step on either phone and watch it tick on the other — that's the live sync, right here in your browser:
Lemony Pasta With B...
0/0
COOK 1COOK 2
1Mise en place
Rinse and pat dry the capers
2Make the topping
In a small saucepan or skillet, heat the extra-virgin...
Add the capers and anchovy fillet for the topping and...
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the caper mixture to...
3Plate and serve
+ 20 more steps in the app
Lemony Pasta With B...
0/0
COOK 2COOK 1
1Mise en place
Rinse, pat dry, and mince the anchovy fillet for the...
Rinse, pat dry, and mince the anchovy fillets for the...
2Make the topping
3Plate and serve
+ 20 more steps in the app
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for the topping
- 1/3 cup capers (rinsed and patted dry)
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 tsp Diamond Krystal kosher salt for the topping
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (minced)
- 1 tsp lemon zest for the topping (grated from 1 lemon)
- 1 anchovy fillet for the topping (rinsed, patted dry, and minced)
- 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for the pasta (divided)
- 3 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
- 2 anchovy fillets for the pasta (rinsed, patted dry, and minced)
- 920 g cherry tomatoes
- 4 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt for the pasta
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest for the sauce
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/8 to 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 345 g fusilli
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (roughly torn into 1-inch pieces)
The full plan
Split between two cooks — each step says who's on it.
1. Mise en place BOTH
- Rinse, pat dry, and mince the anchovy fillet for the topping
- Rinse, pat dry, and mince the anchovy fillets for the pasta
- Roughly tear the fresh basil leaves into 1-inch pieces
- Rinse and pat dry the capers
- Thinly slice the garlic
- Mince the fresh parsley
2. Make the topping COOK 2
- In a small saucepan or skillet, heat the extra-virgin olive oil for the topping over medium heat until shimmering
- Add the capers and anchovy fillet for the topping and cook, stirring frequently, until the capers have darkened and shrunk, 3 to 4 minutes
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the caper mixture to a paper towel-lined plate, set aside
- Leave the oil in the skillet and return it to medium heat
- Add the panko breadcrumbs, kosher salt for the topping, and black pepper
- Cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes
🤝 Cook 1 hands over the caper mixture.
3. Boil pasta water COOK 1
- In a large pot, bring about 4 quarts water to a boil
- Add the fusilli and remaining 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water and cook until al dente
- Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water
- Drain the pasta
4. Cook tomato sauce COOK 2
- In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup (60 ml) oil, the garlic, and the anchovy fillets for the pasta over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the anchovies break down and the garlic is browned, 4 to 5 minutes
- Add the cherry tomatoes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, lemon zest for the sauce, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and stir to combine
- Cover and increase the heat to medium-high
- Cook covered, without stirring, until the tomatoes are mostly broken down into a sauce, with a few remaining intact, about 8 minutes
🤝 Cook 1 hands over pasta anchovies.
5. Finish topping COOK 2
- Transfer the panko to a medium bowl
- Stir in the fresh parsley, lemon zest for the topping, and reserved caper mixture
6. Toss pasta sauce COOK 2
- Add the pasta, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and lemon juice to the tomato mixture
- Stir and toss to combine over low heat to form a light sauce that coats the pasta, 2 to 4 minutes
- Adjust consistency with the reserved pasta cooking water as needed
- Stir in the fresh basil and season with salt to taste
🤝 Cook 1 hands over the tomato mixture.
7. Plate and serve BOTH
- Sprinkle the crispy topping over individual bowls before serving
See it in action
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