I first made cherry tomato pasta in September 2018. Dale and I had just gotten back from a weekend down the shore (one of our first trips together) and I riffed on a recipe based on the limited contents of my fridge. I’ve made it many times since then and passed it along to friends. It pops up in my weekly cooking recaps and seems to be a crowd favorite (I never get tired of it). The recipe was buried in this issue. Now it has its very own link that you can bookmark, text to a friend, print, etc.
Some notes: I prefer this with small shells or a similar shape because the tomatoes nestle perfectly in the shape. You can also make it with a longer cut pasta. This really shines with fresh cherry tomatoes and it will work with the supermarket stuff too.
Ingredients:
1 pound of pasta, shells, orecchiette, or spaghetti
4 cups of halved cherry tomatoes
Small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Herbs, fresh or dried: thyme or basil
1/4 cup of white or rosé wine (can use diluted vinegar)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
Instructions:
In a pan large enough to toss the pasta and sauce, sauté the onion in olive oil until translucent, then add 3 cloves of minced or grated garlic, salt, herbs (I used dried thyme and you could also use basil or fresh thyme), red pepper flakes, and pepper. Toast for a minute or two, deglaze the pan with the wine, and then add halved cherry tomatoes, about 4 cups.
Over medium heat, cook the tomatoes until they fall apart and get saucy, about 20 minutes. Crush the tomatoes with your spoon as they cook.
Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Reserve some pasta water when it’s done
Add pasta to the pan with some pasta water and parmesan cheese. Stir together until the sauce thickens and taste for seasoning. Serve with more parmesan and fresh basil, if you used it.
Tag me on Instagram @thisneedshotsauce if you make this! And Enjoy!
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