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Rigatoni with Cherry Tomatoes and Anchovies

Rigatoni with Cherry Tomatoes and Anchovies

By Diane UngerJanuary 26, 2022

  • Makes
    4 to 6 servings
  • Cook Time
    30 minutes
  • Rating

At Osteria ai Promessi Sposi in Venice, Italy, chef Claudio Furlanis taught us how to make a dish of his own creation—pasta tossed with cherry tomatoes, sautéed onion and anchovies. Furlanis briefly roasted the tomatoes to render them soft and juicy and to concentrate their flavor before introducing them to the other ingredients. The umami quotient was deliciously high from the tomatoes and anchovies, and with the sauce cooked into the pasta until the noodles were perfectly al dente, each bite was extraordinarily satisfying and flavor-filled. This recipe is our adaptation of his dish. We swapped rigatoni or ziti for the very large, short, tube-shaped noodles we had in Venice and added some garlic and pepper flakes for a little pungency. We also like to finish the pasta with grated Parmesan.

Tip

Don’t use more than 6 cups of water to boil the pasta. The amount is scant, but intentionally so in order to create a starchy liquid to use later, when saucing the noodles. Also, be sure to drain the pasta when it’s shy of al dente. It will finish cooking directly in the sauce, where it absorbs lots of flavor.

Ingredients
  • 2

    pints cherry or grape tomatoes

  • 6

    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 2

    medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

  • 1

    large yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 5

    oil-packed anchovy fillets

  • ½

    teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 1

    pound rigatoni, ziti or mezze rigati pasta

  • Finely grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Step 1

Heat the oven to broil with a rack about 6 inches from the element. Line a broiler-safe rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the oil and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Transfer the mixture, including the oil, to the prepared baking sheet and broil until the tomatoes are blistered and most have burst, 8 to 10 minutes; set aside.

Step 2

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, combine the remaining 4 tablespoons oil and the garlic; cook, stirring, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Remove and discard the garlic, then stir in the onion and ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce to medium, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is fully softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.

Add the anchovies and pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until the anchovies have broken down, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in the tomatoes with juices. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring often and pressing on the tomatoes that did not burst during broiling, until the tomatoes have broken down and a spatula drawn through the sauce leaves a trail, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 4

In a large pot, bring 6 cups water to a boil. Add the pasta and 1 teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender on the exterior but still quite firm at the center.

Drain the pasta in a colander set in a large bowl; reserve the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and stir in the tomato mixture followed by 2 cups of the reserved pasta water.

Cover and cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, 5 to 7 minutes, adding more reserved water as needed so the sauce clings to the noodles.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.

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