7 ounces
of spaghetti (for this recipe I used De Cecco spaghettoni No.412)
2 tablespoons
grated pecorino romano
4-6
basil leaves
2-3 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
1
garlic clove
1/2
small onion
2
small hot peppers
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Mince onions, dice garlic, and cut date tomatoes lengthwise.
Meanwhile bring a pot with water to a boil. When boiling, add coarse salt, and cook pasta following package instructions. Besides the quality of Pasta De Cecco, the main reason I am using this brand is because time indications on the package are very precise. For example, according to the package, cooking time for this pasta format – spaghettoni- is 13 minutes, which in fact is exactly the real-time it took me to cook the pasta.
Heat a skillet with extra virgin olive oil (over medium high heat) and place diced garlic and hot peppers. Sautee for about 2-3 minutes to let flavors infuse into olive oil. Discard garlic and hot peppers.
On the same skillet, and keeping the same heat intensity, sautee onions for about two minutes.
Increase heat to high, add date tomatoes, and sautee for two minutes. Decrease heat to medium high and gently squeeze tomatoes to let the juices come out. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Drain pasta and transfer it to the skillet (over very low heat) with onions and tomatoes, add pecorino romano, and basil.
To get the most out of ingredients, tear basil with your hands. Avoid cutting basil with a knife because it prevents essential oils from basil to let their aromas out
Blend all ingredients.
Plating the dish: To form a pasta nest, use a fork with long enough tines and hold it parallel over the skillet. Grab as much pasta as you can. Carefully transfer pasta to a soup ladle and twirl to form a nest. Gently place the nest on a plate. Finish by placing one o two basil leaf on top of the nest.
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