Spaghetti with Quick Tomato Confit
Traditional tomato confit takes hours to make but this spaghetti with quick tomato confit is just as delicious and will be ready to serve in around 30 minutes.I like to use red pepper flakes to add a bit of spice to this dish. You can omit them entirely if you prefer. Instead of using red pepper flakes to flavor the whole dish, you can choose to serve the pasta with a bit of chili crisp that can be drizzled on top. That way, everyone can spice their plate to their liking.While this recipe calls for arugula, a green I keep on hand, you can substitute spinach or chard, or completely omit greens from the recipe entirely.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion , diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes , halved or quartered
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes , optional (see note)
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 cup arugula , or other green (see note)
- 1/4 cup basil leaves , torn or sliced into ribbons
- Parmesan cheese , grated
- chili crisp , optional
Instructions
- Set a pot of water large enough to cook the spaghetti over high heat and bring to a boil while you are starting the sauce. Once the water comes up to a simmer, add a generous tablespoon or two of salt to the water and bring it to a rapid boil.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for one to two minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for one minute or until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper before adjusting the heat to hold the pan at a gentle simmer. Simmer for around five minutes. The oil will begin to take on the color of the tomato skins.
- Add the spaghetti to the pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. I like to cook it for 1-2 minutes less than the package suggests so that it has a cooked exterior with a toothsome interior. I finish the pasta in the sauce, allowing it to soften and absorb a bit of the delicious tomato confit as it finishes cooking.
- Add the arugula to the skillet. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or so. Reduce the heat to low once the greens have wilted.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the cooking liquid. The starchy cooking liquid is the perfect way to loosen up the confit and help it to stick to the pasta.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with the basil and a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water. Use tongs to turn the spaghetti in the sauce, coating the pasta with the tomato infused oil.
- Cook at low heat for 1-2 minutes until the pasta is fully cooked and coated with the sauce. Add more of the pasta water to achieve your desired consistency. The sauce should be glossy and coat the spaghetti. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately garnished with grated Parmesan cheese, additional basil, and chili crisp if desired.
Notes
Adapted from Spaghetti with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Basil, and Parmesan Cheese in The Tomato Festival Cookbook