Summer Sun Gold Tomato Pasta with Breadcrumbs

Ingredients

• 2 slices crusty bread, torn into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 16 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 pints Sun Gold cherry tomatoes or other small cherry tomatoes, whole
• 1 pound small shaped pasta

Directions

1. Set a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring it to a boil. While that gets going, put the bread pieces in a food processor and pulse them into fine crumbs, about 10 seconds. Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 10-inch stainless steel skillet over medium heat until it glints, then add the crumbs and stir so they pick up the oil. Toast them, stirring frequently, until they turn golden brown, about 4 minutes. Scrape them into a medium-sized bowl, add a quarter of the sliced basil, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Clean the skillet, then place it back over medium heat with the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once the butter has melted, stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic takes on a little color, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes and half the shredded basil, and stir everything together. Cook until the tomatoes split and start making a loose sauce, about 2 minutes. Take the skillet off the heat and leave it nearby.
3. Cook the pasta until al dente, following the package directions. Before draining, scoop out a 1/4 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta in a colander. Add the pasta to the tomato skillet and toss thoroughly. Put the skillet over high heat, add half of the reserved pasta water, and cook until the sauce tightens up. If the pasta needs more moisture, splash in more of the pasta water.
4. Finish each serving with the toasted breadcrumbs and the remaining basil.