Pasta with Broiled Cherry-Tomatoes

What's that one color which inevitably pops up during the holiday season? In the things you wear, in the decorations, in the gifts you send or receive... it has to be RED. Then why should your food be an exception, especially when it's such a big part of the festivities. So my holiday gift to all my readers is this hearty pasta dish made with succulent red cherry tomatoes. To add to the goodness of these tomatoes, the recipe calls for broiling them, which renders an excellent smoky flavor to the dish. The broil mode in your oven can really do wonders if you use it right. For friends who do not have that option handy you can also do it in a pan on stove top. Just follow the directions mentioned in the procedure section below.

It is such as an easy to make recipe and so yummy that you simply can not resist it. I typically make this one with spaghetti but you are welcome to replace it with any pasta of your choice; the procedure remains the same.

INGREDIENTS:

Spaghetti: 8 oz

Cherry-tomatoes: 15 to 20

Onions (sliced/chopped): 1/2 cup

Garlic Paste: 1/2 tbsp

Olive oil: 1 tsp

Butter: 1 tbsp

Milk: 1 cup

Grated Parmesan : 1/2 cup

Red Pepper Flakes: 1 tsp

Dried Basil: 1 tsp (you can also use fresh)

Sugar: 1 tsp

Salt to taste

PROCEDURE:

Boil the pasta in water till 70%  done.

Make a thin slit in the tomatoes.

Line a baking tray with aluminium foil. Place the tomatoes on it and season them with olive oil and salt.

Put it in the oven with broil mode on for 3 to 4 minutes or lightly charred. then keep them aside.

(For stove top: Heat a pan and add the tomatoes. Season with some salt and toss on high heat till the tomatoes are lightly charred.)

Heat a pan with the butter. Add garlic paste, red pepper flakes and onions. Saute for a few minutes.

Add the boiled pasta.

Then add in the tomatoes and mix gently.

Pour in the milk and cook until all the liquid is absorbed. (Add some more milk if the pasta is underdone.)

Add the dried basil, sugar and salt.

Now add in the parmesan (1/4 cup) and cook for a couple of minutes.

Garnish it with rest of the parmesan and enjoy! Happy Holidays!!

Photographs by Swakshar Ghosh.