Inspired by a trip to Italy, Bucatini Pasta with Rosemary Breadcrumbs is a savory yet simple pasta dish filled with fresh rosemary, garlicky breadcrumbs, and grated parmesan cheese.
Here’s the truth — I have never been a pasta fan. I’ve never really craved it and I don’t order it when out to dinner. In fact, I tend to avoid Italian restaurants altogether. But during our recent trip to Rome, it was a bit difficult to avoid Italian restaurants and pasta because, well….“When in Rome…”
Right?
Right.
So obviously, pasta in the States is definitely nothing like pasta in Italy. Italy has real pasta. I mean, they invented pasta. Their pasta is fresh pasta.
It’s pasta made with Grandma’s recipe and hand-rolled moments before it’s delivered to the table — pasta. In short, Rome has forever changed my feelings towards pasta. I’ve decided that I will now eat pasta…
When I’m in Italy.
Or, when I can recreate the loveliest pasta dish that I’ve ever tasted at home in my own kitchen using fresh ingredients, quality olive oil, and hand-grated cheese. My version of Rome’s Bucatini Pasta with Rosemary Breadcrumbs is the simplest yet most delightful pasta dish you will ever make. Ever.
The Pantheon
Bucatini Pasta with Rosemary Breadcrumbs is a dish that’s meant to make an impression. It looks as if you worked for hours to create the herby, garlicky, golden, toasted breadcrumb-topped dish.
But in reality, once the prep work’s done, it’s a 10-minute dinner that will have you sipping wine and wishing that you were eating in front of the Colosseum.
The Colosseum
The Colosseum
Bucatini Pasta with Rosemary Breadcrumbs was my first order of pasta in Rome and it’s the dish that I wished I had ordered for every meal during our stay. I knew upon first bite that this meal was one of the first dishes I’d recreate in my own home kitchen (along with my Athenian Garbanzo Bean Salad).
If you aren’t familiar with bucatini, it’s a long, thin, tubular pasta. It looks similar to spaghetti but it’s more round and has a thin hole running through its center. When it’s cooked al dente, it has a slight chewiness to it that pairs nicely when tossed with the crunchy, golded breadcrumb and parmesan cheese mixture.
The main ingredients of this pasta, rosemary and garlic, bring comfort in every bite. The bucatini’s savory pairing of rosemary with a touch of garlic and a hint red pepper flakes brings an undertone of heat and warmth to the dish. You’ll truly love the subtle bit of spice the red pepper adds to the pasta! Plus, there’s a burst of sweetness from the roasted tomatoes just before serving. Although this step is optional, I completely recommend you putting in the extra effort and roasting a pint of tomatoes — it definitely elevates the dish’s fanciness level!
Trevi Fountain
Since this is Her Modern Kitchen, I chose to step it up a notch and strayed a bit from the traditional making of Bucatini Pasta with Rosemary Breadcrumbs by using panko breadcrumbs for added crunch in place of day old bread. This panko breadcrumb swap not only means your breadcrumbs are crunchier but they’re able to toast a bit longer than traditional breadcrumbs and they keep their crunch once combined with the pasta.
If you choose to twirl your fork around my Bucatini Pasta with Rosemary Breadcrumbs, I only request you serve it with a crisp glass of Italian Verdicchio or Pinot Grigio and a final grating of fresh cheese.
- 1 pound bucatini pasta*
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
- 4-5 springs fresh rosemary with stems removed and roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1 cup pasta water, reserved before straining the pasta
- oven roasted tomatoes (optional, see notes)**
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta to al dente, according to the box instructions
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the rosemary breadcrumb mixture
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
- When the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and saute lightly for 2-3 minutes
- When the garlic's bitterness has cooked off, add the panko and Italian
breadcrumbs , mixing to combine - Stir the garlic and breadcrumb mixture occasionally until the breadcrumbs start to brown and become golden in color. Watch carefully to ensure the breadcrumbs do not burn
- Once the breadcrumbs are golden, add the grated parmesan cheese and fresh rosemary to the mixture, stirring to combine
- Gently stir in the salt, red pepper flakes and lemon zest
- Remove the breadcrumb mixture from the skillet and set aside
- Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta water
- When the pasta is cooked to al dente and drained, add the remaining olive oil to the skillet over medium heat and let it warm slightly (1-2 minutes)
- When the oil is hot, add in the pasta and gently coat with the hot oil
- If the pasta looks a bit dry, add in the pasta water ¼ cup at a time
- When the pasta is heated through again, add in the rosemary breadcrumb mixture and toss to coat
- Serve immediately with a final grating of parmesan cheese and roasted tomatoes
**To make the oven roasted tomatoes -- 1) Preheat the oven to 400*F 2) Line a large baking sheet with foil, coated lightly with olive oil 3) Toss a pint of grape tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt & pepper to taste. 4) Place the tomatoes on the lined baking sheet and roast in the over for 30-40 minutes, tossing half way through