Between celebrating two birthdays in our house in a span of two weeks, our meals included either chicken, steak or seafood so I had decided to end the weekend that didn’t include neither and to cook something light but filling. With a few favorite kitchen staples in our fridge like fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic, I was able to whip up a seriously delicious and flavorful pasta dish! If you have a garden full of tomatoes and can’t use them fast enough, this recipe is for you! No jar of spaghetti sauce was used for this recipe – simply sauté your own sauce with plum tomatoes, white wine, and butter. Since we enjoy a little spice in our food, I added red pepper flakes for a little heat.
If you will be hosting a dinner, you can serve this pasta along with garlic breadsticks and a salad.
With all the tasty ingredients, it’s an easy and satisfying weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy!
-Photos by Rose Angel Lopez
- 8 ounces Spaghetti
- 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
- ¼ Tsp. Oregano Flakes
- 1 large, Shallot, chopped
- 6 cloves Garlic, minced, plus 3 cloves
- 2 Plum Tomatoes, grated
- 1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
- ½ cup White Wine (I used McManis Chardonnay)
- 4 chopped Basil Leaves, plus more for topping
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for topping
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook per the directions on the box. Add 3 cloves of garlic to the water to add flavor. Add a splash of olive oil in the boiling water (this will help to keep the spaghetti from sticking). Reserve ¼ cup cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Drizzle olive oil in a large saute over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes, oregano and salt to taste. Cook the tomatoes until soften but not broken, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- In the same pan, drizzle more olive oil and add minced garlic, chopped shallots, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste, saute until shallots are translucent, 1-2 minutes. Add the grated tomatoes, wine and cook until sauce is reduced by half, 1-2 minutes. Add butter and cook for another minute. Add the cherry tomatoes from the bowl, parmesan to sauce. Stir for a few seconds and turn off heat.
- Drain pasta, discard the garlic cloves, add sauce, toss and then transfer to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle basil, parmesan cheese and serve.
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