Pasta tomatoes and fresella

Pasta with cherry tomatoes and fresella is a simple and tasty summer dish, typical of the Southern Italian cuisine. Fresella is a type of stale bread or hard wheat biscuit, typical of the Campania and Apulia traditions, which is soaked in water to soften. Here is the traditional recipe with an Italian twist:

Ingredients

• 320 g of pasta (spaghetti or orecchiette are a good choice)
• 250 g of cherry tomatoes
• 2 freselle
• 1 clove of garlic
• Fresh basil to taste
• Dried oregano to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A bunch of chopped parsley (optional)
• Chili pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by boiling a pot of salted water for the pasta.
2. In the meantime, thoroughly wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half or quarters, depending on size.
3. In a large bowl, crumble the previously soaked and squeezed fresella.
4. Add the cherry tomatoes to the fresella, and season with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, pepper, some dried oregano, and hand-torn basil.
5. Add the peeled and crushed garlic clove (which you will remove before serving) and, if you like, also a piece of chili pepper.
6. Mix everything well and let it season while you cook the pasta.
7. Once the pasta is cooked al dente, drain it and mix it with the tomato and fresella dressing.
8. Stir well so that the pasta is flavored with the dressing, add chopped parsley if desired, and serve immediately.

If you wish, you can add capers or black olives to give more flavor to the dish. And for an even richer variation, you can add cubed buffalo mozzarella.

Did You Know?

Fresella is often consumed in the summer in Campania and Puglia as a cold dish. It’s usually dressed only with tomatoes, oregano, salt, and a drizzle of oil, but dishes like pasta or salads with fresella are enriched variations that use the same base. It’s an excellent solution for summer meals because it’s refreshing and quick to prepare, without the need to light the stove.