Tomato and caper Pasta (Pasta San Nicola)
4-6
EASY
PREP TIME
10 MINS
COOK TIME
40 MINS
TOTAL TIME
50 MINS
RECIPE PROVIDED BY
Zia Lucia
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INGREDIENTS
- 500 g Rigatoni or Penne
- 1 Small jar of capers
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 1 kg Fresh salad tomatoes
- 200 g of grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
- 200g fresh breadcrumbs
INTRODUCTION
Warming and wonderful! As I'm writing this recipe, I am salivating so definitely one I will be cooking tonight! Saint Nicola is the patron saint of Bari, protector of seafarers and defender of the weak. We like to name our dishes after him! The flavours of the tomatoes are intensified in this dish because they’ve been baked. It is a dish we love all year round. Perfect for using up your salad tomatoes that have been in your fridge for ages – especially if they’re not very tasty! So
now it is your turn– provaci!
METHOD
1
Preparing the tomatoes
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Cut your salad tomatoes in half
- Place the halved tomatoes over the bottom of an 8- x 12-inch rectangular baking dish.
- Finely grate or slice your garlic and scatter over the top of the tomatoes
- Add a handful of capers on top of the tomatoes
- Add some freshly ground black pepper (no salt at this point)
- In a bowl, mix together your grated
Parmesan or Pecorino cheese and breadcrumbs - Scatter ¾ of the mixture over the top of the sliced tomatoes.
- Drizzle some Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil over the top of the cheese/breadcrumb mixture and place into the oven.
- Bake until the tomatoes are bubbling and the breadcrumb/cheese is a golden colour.
- Remove from oven and set aside.
2
Preparing the pasta
- While your tomatoes are cooking in the oven, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.
- Add a tablespoon of salt then add your chosen pasta.
- I cannot emphasise the importance of
sufficiently salting your water for the pasta. The pasta will not absorb all the salt but if it is under seasoned, the whole dish will be ruined. - Look at the recommended cooking time for your chosen pasta.
- Once cooked to the recommended time on the packet, drain the pasta.
3
Putting the dish together
- Empty your pasta into the oven dish with the tomatoes and mix well.
- Taste and add salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese breadcrumb mixture over the top
4
Serving the pasta
- Bring the dish straight to the table and serve!
Buon appetito!
5
Top tips:
- Don’t be scared to let the tomatoes burn a little – it makes the dish even more tasty!
Serve our San Nicola pasta with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Cantiniere Primitivo red wine.
