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Active Time
30 min
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Total Time
30 min
Thanks to Simon and Garfunkel, the fresh herbs in this dish are forever linked. But the folk duo probably never knew how good they are on top of al dente bucatini, a thicker-than-spaghetti hollow noodle.
Ingredients
Makes 4 to 6 (main course) servings
Step 1
Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until foam subsides. Cook garlic, stirring, until fragrant and pale golden. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, reserving skillet.
Step 2
Meanwhile, cook bucatini in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
Step 3
Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook sage, rosemary, and thyme, stirring, 2 minutes.
Step 4
Add pasta, 1/2 cup reserved water, and parsley and toss well. Add more water to moisten if necessary. Serve sprinkled with bread crumbs.
Nutrition Per Serving
Leave a Review
Reviews (24)
Back to TopMade this with a ton of changes, so didn't rate. Feel free to skip, but thought I'd share. I started with bacon, wiped the skillet clean, then made the breadcrumbs. Used oregano instead of sage and didn't have parsley. After herbs cooked, I added some white wine and chicken stock to the pan, let it reduce a lot. Tossed with pasta, topped with pecorino, crumbs, and bacon. Breadcrumbs are definitely the star here!
Anonymous
Brooklyn
2/9/2016
This is just ok. Used whole wheat fettucine. You don't need very much of the pasta water at all - too much will make it soggy and watery. I also used about a third of the breadcrumbs. More would have been overwhelming. Good way to use up extra fresh herbs.
Anonymous
11/29/2009
I thought it definitely needed salt (though my wife disagreed) and it was easy enough to add. I did add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper to the oil as it heated before adding the herbs because I like that kind of thing. I'm happy to have this recipe in my collection.
inksmith
KC
11/19/2008
sounds yummy
Anonymous
upstate NY
6/24/2008
This recipe was disappointing. It was bland, and I felt like someting was missing. I have since decided that salt was missing, and possibly some other spices (maybe chili powder) to give it a little kick. I added lots of vegetables, and that made it better. I would definitely make it again because it could be amazing with a few changes.
swalty
6/14/2008
Did not like at all...my family loves pasta (all types) but this was not good.
Anonymous
Riverside, CA
5/12/2008
Do yourself a favor and make the fresh breadcrumbs. They make a wonderful difference.
Anonymous
4/8/2008
I had very good luck with this dish, but I did some alterations based on some of the comments here. I added slightly more garlic and spices than called for. Also, there is no salt in this recipe, so I added at the end to taste. Bread crumbs did not remain crunchy once I added the reserved pasta water. Overall I am very pleased with this recipe. It is a simple, rich, and hearty dish loaded with savory flavors from the fresh herbs.
Rubix3
Amherst, Ma
4/6/2008
This has become my new standby recipe if I get home late from work, since it is so quick to make and I usually have all the ingredients on hand. I have the first 3 herbs growing in my window garden and if I don't happen to have any fresh parsley, it is okay without it. The key is the bread crumbs sauted with the garlic. We eat a lot of fresh french baguettes, which go stale in a day so I save the crumbs for this recipe. I have used panko for substitution and it works okay. Don't leave out the cooking water at the end, it is too dry without it. I always keep a block of good parmesan (I mean GOOD parmesan, not the tasteless mass-produced stuff they sell in most groceries) in the fridge and it adds nice flavor to this dish.
Anonymous
Cleveland, OH
2/23/2008
Horrible recipe - breadcrumbs on pasta? A messy and labor-intesive recipe with a completely bland result.
Anonymous
2/3/2008
I used really fresh herbs and bread crumbs made from homemade bread, and it was delicious - I think in a dish so simple, the quality of the ingredients matters. Be generous with the garlic, herbs and salt and you'll have no trouble with blandness, but in this case I don't think the flavors are intended to knock you over.
littlegem
Yardley, PA
1/11/2008
I get most of my recipes from Epicurious and I have never been let down until now. The ingredients smelled delicious while cooking...but when served, it lacked any sort of flavor. The bread crumbs absolutely killed it - no clue why it called for a cup and a half. I made it in the first place because it called for garlic -- but all the garlic got lost in the crumbs...which barely made it into the pasta at the end (because there was so much!). My husband and I were laughing at how awful it was. As a result of the bread crumbs, it tasted like fuzzy pasta. We tossed it and ended up eating pizza and cookies for dinner. It was a waste of time and money.
Anonymous
California
1/11/2008
Bland if you follow the directions exactly, but add red chile flakes and fresh shrimp. Used half the butter, only 4 tbsp of oil, and did not add water from pasta. Topped with asiago cheese. Much better!
catjlin
Tabernash, CO
1/10/2008
This was pretty good. The pasta you use is fun to eat. It's bigger than traditional spaghetti, so that makes it different. I made sure to season it enough. Good in a pinch. Also, I used Ians's Panko instead of breadcrumbs. Yum!
drloverde
Sherman Oaks, CA
1/10/2008
I was disappointed by how bland it tasted.. The herbs lacked any punch, perhaps I should have doubled the amount of herbs or added some fresh rather than cooked in the oil.
dmhyslop
Culver City, CA
1/7/2008
