Pasta Arrabbiata with sun-gold tomatoes

Pasta arriabbiata refers to a tomato, red chili peppers, and garlic-based sauce. I found this recipe* using sun-gold tomatoes and butter and found it absolutely simple, yet delicious. You can use dry pasta, but we made homemade and the flavor made all the difference. You can also use traditional cherry tomatoes, but we absolutely loved the flavor of the sun-gold tomatoes, cooked down. Fresh parmesan, of course is preferred, but store-shredded is also fine. In the end, the sauce itself is very simple – both in ingredients and assembly. If you prefer to make this vegetarian, simply leave out the anchovy paste and add a bit more salt to taste.

If you are going to make homemade pasta, you will need to do so about 2 hours ahead: for assembly, and hour and 1/2 to rest and dry. If not, any shape will do. We made ours with orecchiette, but it is truly your preference. The recipe is here: Pasta – Orecchiette.

You will need:

1. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2. 2 pints sun-gold cherry tomatoes, halved
3. 4 tbs butter, unsalted
4. 1 tsp anchovy sauce
5. 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6. 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, dried
7. 1 cup shredded parmesan
8. Handful of fresh basil, torn
9. Kosher salt, as needed
10. 1lb dried orecchiette or
11. 3 cups semolina flour (fine) & salt for fresh orecchiette (for making fresh pasta)

To make the sauce

1. Heat olive oil in heavy pot (like a dutch oven) over medium heat. Also heat separate pot with salted water for your pasta.
2. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook until fragrant (about 2 minutes)
3. Mix 1 pint of the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and cook until tomatoes burst and become saucy (about 8 -10 minutes)
4. Cook fresh pasta in salted water (2-4 minutes, depending on type).
5. Using slotted spoon or tongs, transfer pasta to tomato pot. Be sure to save a little starchy pasta water as a reserve.
6. Add butter, anchovy sauce, and remaining tomatoes to the pot and stir. Cook until glossy, adding pasta water as needed, until it is creamy. Season with salt and stir in parmesan. Top with fresh basil.

*Pasta recipe is my own. The recipe for the sauce is from Bon Appetit.