The days are longer and hotter. Dusk holds on to the last warm rays, squeezing out every drop of light until there is none left. These times are for simple suppers that are a pleasure to prepare with no oven involved. Just a few fresh ingredients and a chilled bottle of wine for a June Saturday evening.
A couple of pints of cherry tomatoes, freshly cut basil and shallots are the basics of this recipe for “Stove-Top Slow-Roasted Tomato-Basil Sauce with Fresh Ricotta Cavatelli”.
I wandered into Lazzaroli’s Pasta & Italian Market last week seeking an idea for supper. I bought three types of pasta including this freshly made Ricotta Cavatelli. This little rolled pasta, which is like a dumpling, has just the right shape to hold the sauce while on its way to your mouth.
The two pints of cherry tomatoes were left over from a photo shoot the week before…various kinds all mixed together which I cut in half.
Diced shallots slow-roasted over low heat in a splash of good olive oil until almost caramelized to which I added the tomatoes.
After a half hour of pan roasting I added the fresh basil leaves, a pinch of salt & black pepper.
Tossed with the fresh Ricotta Cavatelli and Parmigiano Reggiano, a crusty loaf for sopping and a chilled Italian white made an ideal warm weather supper.
“Buon Appetito Y’all”
Stove-Top Slow-Roasted Tomato-Basil Sauce with Ricotta Cavatelli
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp good quality olive oil
- 3 shallots, small dice
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 pints ripe cherry tomatoes, cut in half saving the juices
- sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup water or broth
- 8 ounces Cavatelli (or similar pasta)
- freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Directions:
- Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a heavy pan. Add shallots & garlic. Leave on heat, stirring every now and then until shallots are almost softened.
- Add cherry tomato halves to pan and stir to coat with oil. Turn heat to low. Leave on heat for about 30 minutes, stirring often. The tomatoes will begin to “melt” creating a sauce. Add 1/4 cup water or broth and continue cooking stirring often while you cook the pasta.
- Bring a pan of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add Cavatelli and stir. Cook for about 8 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Drain pasta in a colander.
- To the sauce add a handful of roughly chopped fresh basil leaves stirring to blend.Remove pan from heat.
- Add drained pasta to the pan of sauce. Stir gently to coat the pasta with the sauce, adding some of the pasta water if need be to thin it out.
- Serve with a generous dusting of fresh Parmigiano.
Note: This was just one of the best and easy sauces I have ever made. The perfect pasta storm.
Recipe: Teresa Blackburn June 2015
This dish looks so delicious!
Ricotta Cavatelli? I know where I’m headed soon! Can’t wait to make this…
Great seeing you guys last night.
-Will
Oh Will it was so great to see you and Mary as well. Lazzroli’s has great pasta and Tom is just so great. He knows everything about pasta and loves to talk about it and the olive oils and vinegars…..Thanks so much for stopping by Food on Fifth.
Teresa, this is captivating! I absolutely love the slow cooked sauce and I’d die if I found the Ricotta Cavatelli. This is such a wonderful summer dinner and your photo’s are so bring and fresh, just like the weather. Lovely.
What I meant to say is your photo’s are so “bright” and fresh… 🙂
YUM
Teresa, this looks wonderful!
Ditto! Can’t wait to try it! Can you suggest another similar pasta…I would never be able to find this one!
Just love Lazzaroli’s!!!!!!!!!!!
I have not tried Tom’s cavatelli… it looks divine! Oh how I wish I had some of this for lunch.
Sounds amazing. Easy, casual, dinner party kind of food. Love it!
Your pictures are beautiful!
Freshness and simplicity is perfect summer cooking. Those ricotta cavatelli look so delicious. You have inspired me to visit a new Italian food shop nearby and see if they make it too. Beautifully photographed Teresa.
I love how that pasta shape captures the sauce. No doubt that Lazzaroli ricotta style is superb.The days of great tomato dishes are upon us, thank goodness. lovely post.
i’m beginning a new yummy standard; yum; yum yum; yum yum yum. today i posy a yum yum.
;
Looks Delicious!
This looks delicious and fresh. I may try this soon with some pretty tomatoes that I just bought at the Farmer’s Market.
una pinta extraordinaria
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