Pasta Pomodorini

When I watched Food Network host Michael Chiarello make this pasta dish, I loved how rustic it looked and easy the prep was. A basketful of mini-tomatoes, fresh from the garden, squished between your fingers and sauteed quickly with two or three aromatics. True to the ethos of Italian cooking, this simple approach delivers tons of flavor with a minimum of ingredients.

Years later, it’s still a family favorite, ripe for the season’s harvest from my local farm. Thanks, Harleston, for tossing them into the October Twenty Bag!

Ingredients

3/4 pound spaghettini or spaghetti

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1/4 cup sliced garlic

1/2 teaspoon finely minced Calabrian chiles, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pint small cherry tomatoes, stems removed, crushed between your thumb and forefinger

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, each torn into 2 or 3 pieces

Gray salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Parmesan, for grating

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and stir.

While the pasta cooks, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until the slivers are golden brown and crisp, then add the chiles and cook for about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes soften and the juices thicken, about 3 minutes. Add the basil and season with salt and pepper.

When the pasta is al dente, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the warm pot off the heat. Add the sauce and mix well. Add some of the reserved cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and grate Parmesan over the top, to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve immediately.