But basic isn’t bad. Consider spaghetti with red sauce: basic. By slow-roasting tomatoes and garlic in olive oil and emulsifying them into a clingy cloak for pasta, the cook can fashion a sumptuous — and simple — meal. One that’s basically bliss.
Winter Pasta
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 to 35 minutes
Makes: 3 servings
1 pound fresh grape tomatoes
1 head radicchio, halved and sliced crosswise into 1-inch ribbons (delicious, though optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs — any combo of thyme, basil, oregano and/or parsley
9 cloves garlic, sliced in half
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound bucatini
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Roast: Tumble tomatoes, radicchio (if using), herbs and garlic into an oven-safe roasting pan that offers the veggies a snug fit in a single layer. About 9-by-13 inches is good if you’re using radicchio, 9-by-9, if not. Toss with oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Roast, stirring occasionally, at 425 degrees, until tomatoes are falling-apart soft and dappled with dark brown spots, 30 to 35 minutes.
2. Boil: Meanwhile boil pasta in salted water until tender but firm. Scoop out 1 cup cooking water. Drain pasta, and return it to its pot.
3. Emulsify: Scrape vegetables and all their juices onto the pasta. Pour in 1/2 cup cooking water. Toss over high heat until water and juices emulsify into a sauce that clings to the pasta, about 1 minute. (Drizzle in more water if need be.) Toss with plenty of cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
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