Pasta with Tomato, Yogurt and Cumin-Spiced Butter

The sauce for this pasta dish was inspired by the tomato and yogurt sauces that are often the finishing touches on dumplings called manti (or mantu) from Afghanistan, Turkey and Central Asia. Aleppo pepper is a coarsely ground red pepper with an earthy, subtly sweet and smoky flavor with notes of cumin. Look for it in well-stocked supermarkets, spice shops or Middle Eastern grocery stores. If it’s not available, use ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika; the flavor profile will be a little different but still delicious.