Creamy Cherry Tomato Pasta
Okay, this one is almost too simple. And I’m not going to pretend I invented it, or that it requires any level of culinary genius because it doesn’t. Anyone could make this, and honestly, that’s kind of the beauty of it.
It’s a low-effort, high-reward situation. The kind of meal that makes you feel like you have your life together while barely trying. Fresh pasta does most of the work here. This is a great one for easy entertaining, or a cozy summer night. It’s June and tomatoes are back baby!
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
Ingredients (3-4 servings)
For the fresh pasta:
180g OO flour
20g semolina flour
2 eggs + 1 yolk
splash of olive oil
For the sauce:
6-8 cloves of garlic, roughly minced
3-4 tbsp good olive oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes
¾ cup white wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 ½ cups heavy cream
Handful of parsley, minced
Pinch of white sugar
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Finish:
Parmigiano reggiano, grated
Parsley, minced OR basil, chiffonade
Salt & Pepper to taste
Step 1: Prep the pasta
Mix ingredients by hand or standing mixer with dough hook. Knead for 5 minutes and form a smooth ball. Wrap and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the gluten can develop. Don’t rush this. Sometimes I make the dough the day before.
Roll out pasta. I use my KitchenAid attachment and it has changed my life. Never again using a manual pasta roller. For this sauce, I like a tagliatelle width. Narrow enough for the sauce to coat evenly, but wide enough to give you that handmade texture and hold little pieces of cherry tomato.
While sauce is simmering, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta just before serving. This only takes about 3 minutes. Taste test for that perfect al dente bite. Strain and toss in the pan with the sauce to coat.
*I prefer a high ratio of OO flour to semolina for this recipe. It has a more delicate silky bite. The bit of semolina adds texture to help the sauce grip. The extra yolk gives you that beautiful yellow color.
Step 2: For the sauce
Mince garlic and slice cherry tomatoes in half.
Warm stainless steel pan for a couple minutes on medium heat. Add a generous splash of olive oil and garlic. Cook until fragrant, careful not to burn. Add cherry tomatoes and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
Add white wine and simmer until mostly cooked off.
Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer. It’s going to seem like an exorbitant amount of cream, I know. Trust… Once the tomatoes marry with the cream and the water cooks off, it will become a gorgeous orangey silky sauce. Don’t hold back.
Stir in a pinch of sugar, minced parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
Throw in your pasta and buon appetito!
