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Pasta di Stromboli
Served with radishes and bread
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Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes |
- 5 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 bunch radishes
- 1 large bunch basil
- 3 cups grated ricotta salata or Parmigiano Reggiano (or a 4-6 oz. chunk)
- 1 lb. good quality dried spaghetti
- 1 loaf crusty bread
Shopping List
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Hot paprika or cayenne pepper
- Sea salt
- Unsalted butter
Pantry Items
- Bread knife
- Chef’s knife
- Grater
- Heavy skillet
- Large stockpot or pasta pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Paring knife
- Spatula
- Strainer
- Tongs
Tools
- Wine: Try a Colombo Palatino with this
- Dessert: Biscotti with gelato (lemon is delicious after this dish)
- We’re anticipating summer just a little bit with the cherry tomatoes – enjoy!
Suggestions
- When you walk in the door
- Fill the pasta pot 2/3 with water, add 2 tbsps. salt and put over high heat
- Get out Pantry Items
- Get out Tools
- Assemble the ingredients
- Open the wine, pour yourself a glass and have some fun with this!
- Prep
- Rinse the tomatoes and remove the stems.
- Cut the tomatoes in half.
- Rinse the radishes well.
- Remove all but one of the leaves and trim the root end.
- Pat dry the radishes.
- Rinse and pat dry the basil. Pluck 2-1/2 cups leaves.
- Peel and dice 2 cloves garlic.
- Grate the cheese, if necessary.
- Get someone to set the table – you’re the cook and you’ll be busy!
- Start Cooking
- When the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and stir.
- Cook until it is al dente, 7-12 minutes depending on the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tbsps. oil and the diced garlic in the heavy skillet over medium heat.
- When the garlic begins to sizzle, stir it and cook until it begins to turn translucent but not golden, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes to the garlic, stir and cook just until they soften, 2-3 minutes. Season with hot paprika and salt and remove from the heat.
- Coarsely chop the basil leaves and stir into the tomatoes.
- Put a stick of unsalted butter on a plate and carry it to the table with the radishes. If you’ve got the time, slice the bread now too.
- Check the pasta. If it is al dente, drain it, and put the pasta on a warmed platter with edges.
- Mound the tomatoes on top, then mound the cheese on top of that so the whole platter looks like a snowy volcano! (This is beautifully dramatic to serve; you’ll want to mix it all together at the table, so the tomatoes are well-distributed throughout the pasta).
- Take it to the table, and don’t forget the wine! Try buttering a slice of bread and eating it with alternate bites of radish. Buon Appetito!
