Pasta with Cherry Tomato Marinara

Pasta with Cherry Tomato Marinara

This is the type of dish you whip up when you want comfort, but don’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen. It’s light, bright, and the cherry tomatoes bring an explosion of flavor that’s totally irresistible. Serve with some crusty bread and a side salad and you've got yourself the perfect weeknight meal. This dish is fantastic on its own, but why not pair it with Iceberg Antipasto Salad for the perfect meal? That crunch and tangy goodness will complement the smooth marinara sauce so well.

Cook's tip: Red Pepper flakes are your friend here. You can adjust the spice level to suit your taste by adding more or less, but they really bring the "fun" to the dish.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, chopped or grated

  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes (red and yellow), halved

  • 1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) red pepper flakes

  • A handful of basil leaves, torn

  • Salt

  • 1 pound cavatappi or other short-cut pasta

  • Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

  • Fruity EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling 

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.  

Heat a skillet with a lid over medium-high heat with olive oil, 3 turns of the pan. Add garlic and swirl; then add cherry tomatoes and season with oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir in basil to wilt and season with salt. Cover and cook 15 minutes to break down tomatoes, giving the pot a shake now and then.  

Salt pasta water and cook pasta to al dente. Add half a mug of salty water to the sauce before draining pasta then add pasta to the sauce along with a couple of handfuls of cheese and a fat drizzle of EVOO. Pass extra cheese at table and serve with Rach’s Iceberg Antipasto Salad.