As much as we love a fresh, juicy
tomato, it’s best eaten during peak summer. Thankfully, the process of drying tomatoes concentrates their sweet and savory flavors and allows us to enjoy the vegetable (or fruit?) year-round. This recipe uses every part of the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, from the tomatoes to the flavorful oil. We start the pasta by cooking our garlic and onion in the oil. This process slowly cooks the aromatics until they’re soft and sweet, almost as if we’d caramelized them for hours. If you’re looking for an easy summer dinner (ready in under an hour!) for weeknights or date nights, this is the pasta dish you should turn to. Here’s everything you need to know:
The sun-dried tomatoes:
Normally, you discard the oil left behind in the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, but this recipe takes advantage of it. You’ll strain the tomatoes over your pot, so the oil is added to the pot. Then, you’ll slice your sun-dried tomatoes into thin strips to make them easier to eat.
We simmer the garlic and onion in all of the oil—depending on the brand, it will be anywhere from 1/2 to 3/4 cup. Scared by the amount of oil in the pot? Don’t be! Once we’re done cooking the garlic and onion, we strain it and only use the slow-cooked morsels in our sauce. And an added bonus: You’ll also be left with a flavorful infused oil that’s great for dipping bread or cooking in another recipe. Just store the oil in an airtight container in the fridge and it’s good to use for up to 3 weeks.
Make-ahead:
The sauce can be made up to a week in advance. Use 1/2 cup of plain water in place of the pasta water when blending, then store the sauce in the fridge in an airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, supplement the sauce with about 3/4 cup pasta water, and you’ll be good to go!
Did you try making this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments!