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Pasta with Capers and Cherry Tomatoes

3.6

(5)

This recipe, from Lord and Baroncini's cookbook, calls for simmering a small amount of tomatoes for over an hour. The result is a rich, concentrated sauce.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Cooks' note:

Sauce can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 4 first-course servings

Ingredients

6 tablespoons salt-packed capers*
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 canned whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), chopped
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 lb dried linguine
Garnish: fresh mint leaves

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Rinse capers in a sieve and transfer to a small bowl. Cover capers with water by about 2 inches and soak 30 minutes. Drain, then repeat soaking. Drain and rinse capers, then squeeze dry and coarsely chop.

    Step 2

    Cook onion, cut sides down, and garlic in oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add capers and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove and discard garlic and onion. Add canned and cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in mint and pepper, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 hours.

    Step 3

    Shortly before sauce is done, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta. Add pasta to sauce and cook over high heat, tossing, 10 to 15 seconds. If pasta seems dry, add a few tablespoons reserved cooking water.

  2. Step 4

    *Available at some specialty foods shops and chefshop.com.

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