Spaghetti with Blistered Tomatoes, Burrata and Corn

spaghetti with tomatoes

This recipe is summer freshness at it’s best, and the great thing about it is that the preparation is nice and simple but yields the most amazing results!

What you’re looking at are strands of spaghetti intertwined with juicy, cherry tomatoes that have burst and blistered in the oven to create the most luxurious tomato and garlic flavored sauce with the special addition of sweet, fresh corn kernels and burrata cheese.

spaghetti with tomatoes

Fresh summer flavors are what makes this dish such a hit, there’s no special skills you need in making it because the ingredients speak for themselves.

Do a search and you’ll see roasted tomatoes and pasta all over the place, but I make this every summer and this is my way of doing it and what works for me. So rather than a recipe at the bottom of the post I’ll just walk you through the steps now.

blistered tomatoes

I use a quarter sheet pan that has a rim on it. Heat the oven to 425F and line the pan with foil. Lining it with foil helps to gather and hold on to those precious, silky juices, plus it helps prevents the juices from burning off.

I really don’t measure the amount of tomatoes I use, I just load the pan from rim to rim, single layer with cherry or grape tomatoes, you could use all red or colored.

I leave the tomatoes whole so they can burst on their own when ready.

Add in four cloves of crushed garlic, torn basil, salt, pepper and dowse it generously all over with extra virgin olive oil.

When you start to see the tomatoes split pull the pan out of the oven and with the tip of a small paring knife pierce each tomato to let the hot juices release, word of caution, lean backĀ  because sometimes the juice will squirt out at you, then before it goes back into the oven add the fresh kernels of two ears of sweet corn, continue cooking until you see the tomatoes wrinkle and all the juices mingling together with the olive oil, garlic and corn.

blistered tomatoes and corn

It should look like this. Now all you have to do is cook up your spaghetti or pasta of your choice and then toss everything together, make sure you get every bit of that juice incorporated, use a rubber spatula to make sure you scrape off all that glorious juice. For this amount of saucey goodness I used twelve ounces of pasta.

spaghetti with tomatoes

When all the silky sauce is mixed in break open your burrata cheese, (as much as you want) and spread it on top, it will start to melt slightly, then adorn it with more basil, grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a quick drizzle of olive oil to finish it off.

spaghetti with tomatoes

That’s it, dig in and enjoy summer tasting at it’s best!

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Spaghetti all’ Amatriciana

spaghetti amatricianaĀ This past weekend the Italian town of Amatrice would have held it’s 50th annual food festival celebrating it’s famous pasta dish, spaghetti all’ amatriciana. Food lovers from around the world are serving up this pasta dish to raise funds and bring awareness for all the victims of the devastating earthquake in Italy.

amatriciana sauce ingredientsThere are many different variations to this simple rustic dish but traditionally you will always find these four ingredients, tomatoes, ( preferably San Marzano) guanciale, pecorino cheese, peperoncino for some heat and a hearty pasta shape that can hold up to the sauce.

spaghetti amatricianaĀ There are quite a few ways we can donate and help in the recovery, my friend Domenica Marchetti took the time and posted an extensive list on her website, Domenica Cooks. Here’s the link. As we all know, every little bit can help!

spaghetti amatriciana

Why not gather your friends and family together, make a donation and feed them this symbolic dish of spaghetti all’ amatriciana, it’s hearty, comforting and so delicious!

5.0 from 2 reviews
Spaghetti all' Amatriciana
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • 4 oz. guanciale, ( pork jowl) cut into small strips. (if you can't find guanciale you can sub with pancetta)
  • 2 cups of crushed San marzano tomatoes
  • 1 or 2 peperoncino
  • grated Pecorino cheese
  • 8 oz. of bucatini type pasta, I used DeCecco #12
Instructions
  1. Get a large pot of salted water to boiling.
  2. In the meantime make your sauce.
  3. In a rimmed heavy bottom skillet add the guanciale and cook till it renders it's fat and becomes golden, be careful not to crisp it like bacon, it should be soft and golden.
  4. Remove excess fat then drizzle in some olive oil and add your crushed tomatoes and peperoncino.
  5. Put heat on medium high and let all flavors blend and cook down together.
  6. When pasta is done cooking take tongs and lift it directly from the pot of boiling water into the skillet with the sauce, you want a little water to cling.
  7. Toss the pasta several times in the sauce with the tongs.
  8. Turn off the heat and throw in a handful of pecorino, letting the cheese melt into the sauce, becoming nice and creamy.
  9. Plate it into your individual serving bowls and add more cheese on top.
  10. Enjoy!

Ā 

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SPAGHETTI WITH PANCETTA AND MUSHROOMS

I like to make a pasta dish at least one night during the week, normally I do it with vegetables, whatever I might have on hand at the time. Yesterday I looked and saw this beautiful package of Cremini mushrooms, which also are called Baby Portabellas. I also had a small container of diced Pancetta. “Nice combo” I thought!! So I pulled out my trusty saute pan and started to cook up the Pancetta till nice and slightly crispy, after which I drained. Then back in the pan with a drizzle of olive oil & some onions, & garlic When the pasta was done I drained it and tossed it in the pan with everything. It was finished off with a generous amount of Romano cheese and a sprinkling of fresh parsley!! It’s a quick meal that doesn’t take much time, but definitely tastes like you did!!!

Buon Appetito!!

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