Linguine with Salsa Cruda
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound high-quality dried linguine
- ÂĽ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced (use less for a milder sauce)
- 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
- 10 ripe medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped into ½-inch dice
- 2½ cups arugula, rinsed thoroughly, drained, and coarsely chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ounces Pecorino Romano shavings
Instructions:
A sauce of uncooked tomatoes is one of late summer’s culinary payoffs, the reward for waiting for locally grown tomatoes to arrive, whether from your own garden or the nearest farmers’ market.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Add the linguine and stir so that the strands don’t stick together. (If the pot isn’t large enough for the linguine to lie flat, either break the strands in half or hold one end of the pasta bundle while the other end softens in the boiling water, then release the pasta into the water.) Cover the pot if necessary to bring the water back to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, then stir again. Continue to check periodically to make sure the strands aren’t sticking together, and cook until the pasta is tender but still offers a little bit of resistance when you bite into it. Begin checking for doneness 7 or 8 minutes after it has returned to a boil.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the garlic, peppers, and capers. Cook until the garlic is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- When the linguine is done, use a measuring cup to scoop out ÂĽ cup pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta, transfer it to a large warm bowl, and add the tomatoes.
- Add the reserved pasta water to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the pasta, add the arugula, and toss well. Taste, then add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately, offering the pecorino shavings on the side.