PASTA WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND ARUGULA

Pasta With Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula image

This simple, glorious dish, popular in the southern Italian region of Puglia, is an argument for keeping cherry tomato plants in your garden or on your fire escape. Uncooked tomato sauce is juicy and cool on a summer evening. The recipe asks only that you halve the tomatoes (quarter them if they are particularly large), then combine them with garlic, salt, balsamic vinegar, arugula, basil and olive oil. Toss that with cooked pasta, and shower with salty, firm shavings of ricotta salata. Arugula adds wonderful flavor (all the more if you can find peppery wild arugula) and a nutritional punch.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories brunch, dinner, lunch, appetizer, main course, side dish

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if small, quartered if large
1 plump garlic clove, minced or put through a press (more to taste)
Salt to taste (I like to use a very good coarse sea salt or fleur de sel for this)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 cup arugula leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon slivered or chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound fusille, farfalle, or orecchiette
1/4 cup freshly grated ricotta salata or Parmesan (more to taste)

Steps:

Combine the cherry tomatoes, garlic, salt, balsamic vinegar, arugula, basil, and olive oil in a wide bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt and the pasta. Cook al dente, until the pasta is firm to the bite. Drain, toss with the tomatoes, sprinkle on the cheese, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 421, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 68 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 15 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 448 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams