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Burrata Pasta (Tomato Burrata Pasta)

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This recipe is everything I love about Italian food. It uses just a handful of good-quality ingredients and transforms them into a quick, simple and delicious meal...

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 300g cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 250g dried linguine
  • Handful of fresh basil, chopped

To serve:

  • 1 large ball of burrata cheese, torn
  • Fresh basil
  • Parmesan, freshly grated
  • Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
  • Olive oil, for drizzling

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan set over a low-medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
  2. Add the tomatoes with a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well to coat in the oil. Leave to cook for a few minutes or until they begin to soften and show signs of bursting. 
  3. Add the sugar, then smoosh the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon gently to encourage them to break down.
  4. Meanwhile, bring a pan of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, you want it to still have quite a bite to it as you will finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. Reserve a cup of the cooking water and drain well.
  5. Add the pasta to the tomatoes, then toss to fully coat the pasta. Add a splash of pasta water, as needed, to create a smooth and silky sauce. Sprinkle in the chopped basil and season to taste.
  6. Top with the burrata and garnish with fresh basil. Sprinkle over plenty of freshly grated Parmesan, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil, if wished. Bring to the table and serve (alternatively, spoon into bowls before topping with burrata, basil, Parmesan, red pepper flakes and olive oil).

Notes

1. A splash of balsamic vinegar works really well here instead of the sugar. It's always good when you're cooking with tomatoes to add a little sugar or sweetness of some kind as it brings out the flavour and is a small thing but makes a big difference.

2. Always slightly under cook your pasta if you're going to toss it through a sauce to finish it as otherwise by the time you've done this it will be overcooked.

3. Any pasta shape will work here