Recipe: Mediterranean-Style Rotini with Toasted Garlic Panko

When I saw the recipe for Fusilli with Caramelized Spring Onions and White Wine sitting in my “Recipes to Make” folder (an actual folder, mind you, not one on the computer–I am old school like that), I thought I’d add it to my meal plan because I had everything on hand for it except the onions. When I went to write up my meal plan post, I noticed that the recipe had pretty mediocre reviews online, with readers commenting that the dish was bland and flavorless. Oh, what to do!

I had already done my shopping for the week, so it was too late to make something else. Instead, I decided to change the recipe–I added everything I could find in the pantry to give this pasta dish a big boost in flavor. I could have gone the easy route and doused this with massive amounts of cheese, but I opted to add ingredients that pack a lot of flavor into a small amount of calories and fat, making this Mediterranean-Style Rotini recipe both delicious and healthy.

Mediterranean-Style Rotini with Toasted Garlic Panko

A filling-yet-light Mediterranean-inspired pasta dish adapted from Cooking Light’s Fusilli with Caramelized Spring Onions and White Wine.

• Yield: 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup panko
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 2 cups thinly sliced sweet onions (like Vidalia or Walla Walla–about 1 pound)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
• 1-14 oz. can small artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, torn
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces uncooked rotini
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine panko, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, and a dash of salt in a small bowl. Spread panko mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 6 minutes or until golden brown, stirring after 3 minutes. Cool.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to pan. Add onions to pan; cook 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add remaining garlic and wine. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 1 minute. Add broth and heat until liquid is reduced (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in olives, artichoke hearts, basil leaves, and sun-dried tomatoes.
4. While onions are cooking, cook pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain. Stir pasta into vegetable mixture and add remaining salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture into bowls; sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons of the panko mixture.