Pasta with Tomatoes, Orange and Olives

This vegetarian pasta dish is loaded with the robust flavors of the Mediterranean. It’s a riff on a recipe from “T he Italian Country T able” by Lynn R osetto K asper, who found inspiration for the citrusy, savory tomato sauce in the markets of Siracusa, on the island of Sicily. We like the meaty, concentrated flavor of oil-cured black olives here, but milder green olives (such as Castelvetrano) work well, too. T he sharp tang of pecorino R omano cheese is an especially good match for the fruity, herbal flavors. Serve with warm, crusty bread. Don’t boil the pasta until al dente. Drain it when it’s a few minutes shy of al dente, but don’t forget to reserve about 1 cup of cooking water first. The pasta will finish cooking directly in the sauce, which allows the noodles to absorb flavor.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

I n a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Stir in the pasta and 2 tablespoons salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, orange zest, oregano and pepper flakes, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 0 seconds. Add the tomatoes and orange juice, cover and cook until the tomatoes begin to burst, about 4 minutes.

Step 3

R educe to medium, then press on any whole tomatoes with the back of a spoon so they burst. I f the pasta is not yet done, remove the skillet from the heat, cover and set aside.

Step 4

To the skillet, add the drained pasta and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Bring to a simmer over medium and cook, tossing with tongs, until the pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.

Step 5

O ff heat, add the basil, olives and half of the cheese, then toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water if needed so the sauce coats the noodles. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and drizzle with additional oil.