dileenthompson 
This recipe uses intense heat to blister sweet cherry tomatoes and briny Castelvetrano olives until they burst, creating a deeply flavorful foundation for a quick sauce. Tossed with orecchiette, which perfectly catches the chunks of tomato and olive, it’s a celebration of Mediterranean flavors.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340g) orecchiette pasta
- 1 pint (10 oz / 300g) cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish
- Optional: Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette and cook until al dente according to package directions. Just before draining, reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta.
- Blister the Tomatoes and Olives: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cherry tomatoes and whole pitted olives. Cook, without stirring too often, for 5-7 minutes, until the tomatoes have blistered and collapsed and the olives have browned slightly and “burst” open.
- Add Aromatics: Push the tomatoes and olives to one side of the skillet. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes to the empty space and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Then, toss everything in the skillet together. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
- Combine the Dish: Add the drained orecchiette directly to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss everything together, using the back of a spoon to gently crush some of the burst tomatoes to create a saucier consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the torn fresh basil leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning. Divide among bowls, garnish with more basil, and serve immediately. Pass grated cheese at the table, if desired.
Key Flavors & Notes
- Sweet Tomatoes: Blistering concentrates the tomatoes’ natural sugars, creating a sweet, intense base.
- Briny, Salty Olives: Castelvetrano olives are buttery and mild; bursting them releases their unique briny flavor directly into the oil.
- Fresh Basil: Added off the heat to preserve its bright, anise-like flavor, which cuts through the richness.
- Pro-Tip: Don’t overcrowd the skillet when blistering. You want the tomatoes and olives to sear and blister, not steam. Let them sit undisturbed for a minute or two at a time to achieve a good char.
- Serving Note: While cheese is optional, a hard, salty cheese like Pecorino Romano complements the briny olives beautifully. However, purists may prefer the dish without it to let the primary flavors shine.
