Spaghetti with Tapenade Sauce and Roasted Tomatoes
Serve this Sicilian speciality with Pecorino Bites with Green Onion and Tuna with Citrus Gremolata.
Ingredients
- Salt
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved and seeded
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for drizzling, plus 3 tablespoons
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 3 tablespoons chopped capers
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup packed, pitted black olives, finely chopped, with some brine (recommended: Kalamata)
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400°F.
Bring a large pot of water over medium heat to a boil. Salt the water, add the spaghetti and cook to al dente. Remove and reserve a cup or so of the cooking liquid before draining.
Add the tomatoes to a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with oregano. Scatter the tomatoes on a baking rack over a baking sheet and roast about 20 minutes.
Heat about 3 tablespoons EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies, working them into oil with a wooden spoon. Stir in the capers, red pepper flakes, garlic, olives, and a splash of olive brine, and saute 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the pasta cooking liquid, about 1 cup, and toss in the pasta.
Put the tapenade pasta into serving bowls and top with oven roasted cherry tomatoes. Serve as a first course or alongside a seafood entree.
