Capellini (angel hair) is not used very often because it quickly becomes a gluey mess. The trick is to pull it directly out of the pot into this olive oil sauce and toss. I only use it in situations like this with a fresh, uncooked sauce because you don’t want to be messing around with it too much. It goes straight from the water to the sauce to the plate.
Capellini complements the fresh, simple flavors in this dish because it’s light and soaks up the sauce quickly. Of course, it relies on the best, most flavorful tomatoes and basil, so make sure to not refrigerate your tomatoes. I don’t particularly like raw garlic, so I always quickly saute it but feel free to use it raw if you like it. Use the good extra virgin olive oil in this one too, because it doesn’t get cooked at all.
Capellini with Tomato and Basil
1/2 box capellini
1-2 tomatoes, diced (preferably on-the-vine or other very fresh tomato)
2 garlic cloves, minced (optional: saute in a tablespoon of olive oil for one minute)
1/2 cup basil, julienned
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino
Cook the capellini in salted, boiling water according to package instructions. Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cooked capellini with a little of the cooking water and stir to combine. Add the basil and cheese and toss. Serve with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a little more cheese on top.
I love capellini and with this heat it is perfect because it’s a quick cook pasta. My favorite way to eat it is exactly this!!
Such a simple recipe but SO NICE! I love recipes like these where each ingredient stands out and gives so much fresh flavor.
yum and pretty!
I adore simple pasta like that!!
This is so pretty! What a perfect summer pasta; I’m getting hungry just looking at it.