Tomato Orange Pasta
Orange juice? In a sauce? Yes, yes, yes! The fresh squeezed orange juice adds a caramelised, sweet tang to this simple dish. Want to level up? Add some peeled shrimp in with the pasta at the end! This recipe has been adapted from Cook’s Illustrated circa 2018. See how it’s made here.
Ingredients
½ pound linguine or bucatini
Kosher salt
¼ cup olive oil
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. Grated orange zest
1 tsp. Dried oregano
Red pepper flakes (to taste/preference)
2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 cup torn basil (or ½ cup fresh tarragon)
½ cup finely chopped Castelvetrano olives
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Make it!
Cook the pasta according to the package for al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and strain the rest. Set pasta aside until final steps.
Heat a large pan over medium and add the olive oil. Once shimmery, add the red onion and cook, stirring, until translucent. About 4 minutes. Add the garlic, orange zest, and oregano and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and orange juice, stir and cover for 7-9 minutes, or until the tomatoes have begun to burst.
Remove the lid and smash any tomatoes that haven't fully burst. Add the drained pasta and ½ cup of pasta water. Stir over medium heat until the sauce begins to reduce and sticks to the pasta, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the olives, ½ cup of Pecorino Romano and basil. Stir and serve with more cheese, olive oil, crushed red pepper, and flaky salt. Cheers!
