Cacio e Pepe with Warm Tomato Salad

By Mary-2

Ingredients

• 2 pints multicolored baby tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley (a few generous handfuls), chopped
• 1/2 cup loosely packed basil (10 to 12 leaves), torn or thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• A small handful mint leaves, finely chopped
• About 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO )
• Salt and coarse black pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• 2 cups grated pecorino-romano cheese

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from rachaelraymag.com

Preparation

Step 1

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325°. Arrange a
rack on top of a baking sheet. Place
the tomatoes cut side up on the rack
and roast for 20 minutes to slump the
tomatoes and tart up their sweetness.
While still warm, toss the tomatoes
with the parsley, basil, onion and
mint. Dress the salad with about
2 tablespoons EVOO; season with salt.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water
to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook
to just shy of al dente. Drain, reserving
1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta cooks, in a large skillet,
heat about 1/4 cup EVOO , the garlic and
some pepper. Cook until fragrant, 3 to
4 minutes; discard the garlic.

Add the pasta and three-quarters of the
reserved cooking water to the skillet.
Add 3/4 cup cheese and toss to form a
saucy coating, about 2 minutes (adding
a splash more cooking water or more
cheese as needed). Serve the pasta in
shallow bowls and top with the tomato
salad for mixing in as you eat. Pass the
remaining cheese at the table.