Pappardelle With Oven Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes
From WOI Encyclopedia Italia
The Scottos, of New York's Fresco restaurant, share a delicious menu of some favorite summer foods.
by the Scotto family
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
• 2 pounds oven dried tomatoes (see recipe below) • 1-1/2 pounds fresh pappardelle noodles or another fresh pasta cut • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil • 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin • 4 tablespoons torn fresh basil leaves • 3 cups broccoli rabe, washed and trimmed • 1/4 cup Italian green and black olives, pitted, roughly chopped • 1/2 cup grated or shaved Pecorino Sardo cheese (sheep’s milk cheese from Sardinia, Italy) • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oven Roasted Tomatoes • 2 pounds organic heirloom cherry tomatoes • 3 tablespoons rosemary • 3 tablespoons sage • 3 tablespoons thyme • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin • Extra virgin olive oil • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 225°. Remove the stalks and wash tomatoes. Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. 2. Combine rosemary, sage and thyme in a small bowl, and set aside. 3. Place tomatoes on sheet pan, cut side up. Place close together in one even layer. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt and pepper, then herb mixture, then drizzle with olive oil. 4. Place in oven at 225° and roast until tomatoes have shriveled around their edges and more than half of the liquid has evaporated. This process intensifies their flavor and texture. Set aside until pasta is ready to be tossed.
To prepare pasta 1. Cook the pasta pieces in generous amount of boiling salted water until al dente, and drain. 2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large, thick bottomed pan. When hot, add garlic and cook briefly until transparent and beginning to lose color. 3. Add broccoli rabe and quickly toss. Add approximately 4 to 5 tablespoons of boiling pasta water to pan, which will create steam to cook broccoli rabe; cover with lid for 1 minute. 4. Remove lid and add oven dried tomatoes. Toss tomatoes and broccoli rabe together. If pan looks dry, add some more olive oil. Stir in olives and basil. Check seasoning and set aside. 5. Add cooked pasta to tomatoes and broccoli rabe; toss gently together. 6. Just before serving, grate plenty of Pecorino cheese on top; finish by drizzling pasta with extra virgin olive oil.
