Tuna & White Bean Pasta with Gremolata Bread Crumbs
For homemade bread crumbs, keep leftover slices or ends of bread in the fridge or freezer until you have a few cupfuls. Toast the bread, then process it into crumbs. Store in a sealed container or plastic bag in the freezer.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 4 tablespoons of the EVOO in a small pan over medium-low heat with the anchovies, if using. Melt the anchovies into the oil until they dissolve, then add 4 cloves of the garlic and stir for 2 minutes. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until deeply golden in color. Stir in the lemon zest, the parsley, and the red pepper flakes. Turn off the heat and transfer the gremolata bread crumbs to a bowl.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. When the water boils, season with salt, add the pasta, and cook to al dente. Heads up: You will need to reserve a ladle of the pasta cooking water before draining.
Step 3
Heat a large skillet over medium heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the celery, onions, and the remaining 2 cloves of garlic to the pan and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the white beans and rosemary and heat through for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the wine, tuna, and tomato, if using. Stir for 2 minutes and then turn off the heat.
Step 4
Add the reserved ladle of starchy cooking water to the skillet along with the drained pasta, then toss to combine. Serve in shallow bowls with lots of gremolata bread crumbs and a drizzle of oil on top.
