Roasted Tomato Puttanesca Riggies
- 4Servings
Ingredients
- 3 pts. cherry tomatoes or 15 small to medium tomatoes on the vine
- Natural olive oil cooking spray
- Salt and pepper
- A few sprigs thyme
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 8 anchovy fillets
- 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper or 1 fresh red finger or Fresno chile, chopped
- 1/2 cup dry vermouth
- 1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
- 3–4 tbsp. drained Italian capers in brine, coarsely chopped, plus 1 tbsp. brine
- 1 lb. mezze rigatoni or rigatoni
- 1/2 cup (a fat handful) fresh flat-leaf parsley tops, chopped
- A few leaves fresh basil, torn
Preparation
1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat to 450°.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
3. Arrange the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, coat with the cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Top with a few thyme sprigs and roast, occasionally shaking the pan, until the tomatoes burst and brown at the edges, about 20 minutes; discard the thyme sprigs.
4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil, four turns of the pan, over medium. Add the anchovies [1, above]. Cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon [2, above], until they melt into the oil [3, above], about 2 minutes. Lower the heat a bit; stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook 1 minute. Add the vermouth; cook to reduce a bit, about 2 minutes. Add the olives, capers and brine. Reduce the heat to low; keep warm.
5. Salt the boiling water, add the pasta and cook until 1 minute shy of al dente. Reserve half a mug of the starchy cooking water; drain the pasta.
6. Add the tomatoes and juices to the skillet; stir, breaking up with a spoon or potato masher. Stir in the pasta, cooking water, and herbs; toss over medium heat until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper or crushed red pepper.