Cherry Tomato Pasta (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Pasta Essentials
01 -
5.5 oz (160g) spaghetti or any pasta of your choice
02 -
About 14 oz (400g) cherry or grape tomatoes, mixed colors optional
03 -
2 big cloves of garlic
04 -
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, with extra for drizzling later
05 -
A handful of fresh basil leaves, plus a few extra for topping
06 -
Salt, adjusted to your taste
07 -
Optional: A pinch of red chili flakes for a little heat
08 -
Optional: Grated parmesan cheese to serve
# Instructions:
01 -
Chop the garlic into small pieces, then toss it into a pan or big skillet with the olive oil. Keep the heat low so it doesn’t brown too much. If you're adding chili flakes, do it now.
02 -
Cut your tomatoes into halves or quarters depending on how big they are. Add them to the skillet with the garlicky oil, sprinkle on some salt, and stir over medium heat.
03 -
Put a big pot of water on, add lots of salt, and bring it to a boil. Cook your pasta, but stop a couple minutes shy of al dente—the packaging should have a guide.
04 -
As the tomatoes start to soften, gently squish a few using the back of a spoon to release their juices. Pour a ladleful of pasta water into the pan to help form a sauce.
05 -
Drain the pasta right before it finishes cooking, then add it straight into the pan with your sauce. Pour in some more pasta water if the mixture looks dry. Tear up some basil and mix it in.
06 -
Stir everything together over low heat until the pasta absorbs the sauce and finishes cooking. Keep adding small amounts of water if you need it to stay loose. If you’re using parmesan, stir some in now.
07 -
Once everything's perfect, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning. Drizzle with olive oil, add a few basil leaves on top, sprinkle on parmesan (if you want), and serve immediately.
# Notes:
01 -
Save some of the pasta cooking water—it helps the sauce stick to the noodles perfectly.
02 -
Feel free to swap spaghetti with any shape you like, but long styles like linguine work great here.