Inspired by Catalan romesco, this sauce is rich, deep, and tangy—but you don’t have to roast tomatoes or peppers to get there. Instead, you’ll blitz deeply savory sun-dried tomatoes with capers, balsamic vinegar, a generous amount of garlic, and toasted pine nuts (walnuts would also work in a pinch). Since oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are usually jarred with salt, this recipe doesn’t call for any—you’ll want to taste your sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed. Keep that red oil in the tomato jar: Use it to make salad dressing, roast vegetables, or fry eggs.
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What you’ll need
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Food Processor
$70 At Amazon
Small Saucepan
$160 At Amazon
Heatproof Measuring Cup
$26 At Amazon
Large Pot
$65 $60 At Amazon
Colander
$15 At Amazon
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Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat ½ cup oil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Add garlic, pine nuts, and capers and cook, swirling occasionally, until garlic and nuts are golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor; reserve saucepan. Add sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, and paprika to food processor; season generously with pepper and pulse to form a thick paste.
Step 2
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot off heat. Add sun-dried tomato paste along with 1 cup pasta cooking liquid and toss, gradually adding remaining pasta cooking liquid until a thick sauce forms and pasta is coated.
Step 3
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in reserved saucepan over medium-high. Add panko and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes.
Step 4
Divide pasta among shallow bowls and top with breadcrumbs and parsley.
