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Orecchiette with Tomatoes, Fennel, and Parmesan

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 22, 2007

Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Orecchiette with Tomatoes, Fennel, and Parmesan

Ingredients

table salt 1 pound orecchiette 1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice1 small bulb fennel, trimmed of stalks and fronds, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup chopped fresh basil Ground black pepper 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler (about ¾ cup)

Instructions

  1. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in stockpot; add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta, stir to separate, and cook until al dente. Drain and return pasta to stockpot.
  2. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, fennel, oil, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Add tomato mixture to pasta in stockpot and toss to combine. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve immediately, garnishing individual bowls with shaved Parmesan.
Orecchiette with Tomatoes, Fennel, and Parmesan

Orecchiette with Tomatoes, Fennel, and Parmesan

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

table salt
1 pound orecchiette
1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
1 small bulb fennel, trimmed of stalks and fronds, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler (about ¾ cup)

Ingredients

table salt
1 pound orecchiette
1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
1 small bulb fennel, trimmed of stalks and fronds, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler (about ¾ cup)

Ingredients

table salt
1 pound orecchiette
1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice
1 small bulb fennel, trimmed of stalks and fronds, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler (about ¾ cup)

Why This Recipe Works

Summer tomatoes containing excess liquid can result in a watery, bland pasta sauce. To avoid this problem in our raw tomato sauce recipe, we seeded the tomatoes. For robust flavor, we used extra-virgin olive oil, which also worked to coat the pasta and bind it to the sauce. We then added ingredients like garlic, black olives, and Parmesan to our raw tomato sauce recipe to bring the acidity and sweetness of the tomatoes into an ideal balance.

Instructions

  1. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in stockpot; add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta, stir to separate, and cook until al dente. Drain and return pasta to stockpot.
  2. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, fennel, oil, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Add tomato mixture to pasta in stockpot and toss to combine. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve immediately, garnishing individual bowls with shaved Parmesan.

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