Pasta With Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup very coarse fresh bread crumbs
• 7 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 1/2 TBS balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 1/2 cups red cherry tomatoes, halved
• 12 oz pasta (the recipe calls for fettuccine, but we prefer bowtie)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil cut into thin strips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the bread crumbs on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 TBS of the olive oil and toss to distribute. Season with salt and pepper and bake in the middle of the oven, tossing occasionally, until golden brown (10-15 minutes). Remove from oven and cool.

In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 5 TBS olive oil and the vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and stir.

Cook pasta according to directions and drain. Toss pasta with tomatoes and vinaigrette. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with basil and bread crumbs. Makes 4 servings.

From Weir Cooking: Recipes from the Wine Country, Joanne Weir, Time-Life Books, 1999.