Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 1 pound spaghettini, or other long, thin pasta
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 tsp. red-pepper flakes
  • 3 pints cherry tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 1/2 cups loosely packed, torn basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 3/4 cup fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 6 ounces)
  • Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving
  • Coarsely ground black pepper

    Directions

    Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente.

    Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet or a wide heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the red-pepper flakes, then stir in the tomatoes and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until most of the tomatoes have burst, 6 to 8 minutes.

    Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, drain the pasta. Add the pasta, along with the reserved pasta-cooking water, to the pan with the sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the pasta is coated, about 30 seconds, then stir in the basil and parsley.

    Divide the pasta among serving plates. Dollop with the ricotta and sprinkle with Parmesan and black pepper to taste. Drizzle with oil and serve immediately.

    Excerpted from Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating by Gail Simmons. Copyright © 2017 by Gail Simmons. Reprinted with permission from Grand Central Life & Style. All rights reserved.
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