Who doesn’t need a fast spaghetti recipe that uses the ever-available cherry tomatoe?
This is that recipe. It makes a pretty presentation, too.
Who to thank, though, for the yearlong availability of cherry tomatoes. It is a contentious question.
First, thanks go to the Incas and Aztecs. Food historians believe that cherry tomatoes are closely-related to the wild tomatoes of Mesoamerica and western South America. Those wild tomatoes, which grew like clusters of grapes, are believed to have provided the genetic foundation for all modern tomatoes. The indigenous people of Mesoamerica and western South America domesticated the wild tomatoes. The Aztecs called the little fruits xitomatl, the base for our modern word tomato.
In modern times and with modern cultivated and commercialized cherry tomatoes, there is argument.
The European Union has recognized the Greek Tomataki Santorini as the original modern iteration of the fruit, giving the little tomatoes PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) status in 2013. The tomatoes have been grown on Santorini island since at least the 1860s and, in the early 20th Century, paste made from the tomatoes was the primary export from the island.
But wait! The Israelis also claim to have originated the modern cherry tomato in their labs in the 1970s, creating the shelf-stable, sweet and comercially viable little tomatoes we enjoy today.
You pick the winner.
Cherry tomatoes are a treasure in the vast wasteland of off-season blah tomatoes. In season, they are even better.
This is a delicious recipe from Six Seasons Cookbook by Joshua McFadden. You can buy the book from your local bookstore or from Amazon here.
Here is the recipe as I prepared it in my kitchen.
Spaghetti With Small Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil and Chiles
Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 garlic cloves (smashed and peeled)
- 3 C. cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 t. dried chile flakes
- 1 large handful basil leaves
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 1 T. unsalted butter
- Dried breadcrumbs
- Grated Parmesan
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Directions
- Step 1 Saute garlic cloves in 2 T. olive oil. Add about half of the tomatoes to the skillet with the garlic. Saute tomatoes until they burst and begin to break down. This will take about 5 minutes. Remove the tomato mixture from the heat and mash the tomatoes a bit. Add salt and pepper and chile flakes. Return the mixture to the heat. Add half the fresh basil leaves and simmer for about 5 more minutes.
- Step 2 While the tomatoes are sautéing, cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Save about 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the spaghetti and set aside.
- Step 3 Turn up the heat on the tomato/garlic sauce and toss the spaghetti into the mix, adding a bit of the pasta water to thicken the sauce. Add the remaining half of the tomatoes to the toss.
- Step 4 Add the fresh basil to the spaghetti mixture along with the butter and drizzle in more olive oil. Remove from the heat and continue to toss the ingredients until ingredients are well distributed. Add salt and ground black pepperto your taste.
- Step 5 Sprinkle breadcrumbs and Parmesan over the mixture.
