PASTA WITH MINT, CAPERS AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES RECIPE
A quick, weeknight pasta recipe with the flavors of Sicily; sun-dried tomatoes, mint, capers, and currants
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried short pasta fusilli, penne, rigatoni
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup capers, chopped
- 1/4 cup currants, optional
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes, optional (add more or less depending on your tastes)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid and drain.
- Return pasta to the pot add all the remaining ingredients and toss to combine well. Add the reserved pasta water a little bit at a time until the pasta is glossy and well coated. Taste and add more salt, red chile flakes, or olive oil as needed.
- Serve hot, room temperature, or cold. Enjoy!
Notes
- Optional Protein & Toppings: To turn this into a heartier meal, it pairs wonderfully with grilled chicken, flaked canned tuna (in olive oil), or a handful of toasted pine nuts and crumbled feta or ricotta salata on top.
- The Secret "Sauce" (Pasta Water): Don’t skip reserving the pasta water! Because this recipe doesn’t have a heavy cream or tomato sauce, the starchy pasta water binds with the olive oil to create a light, glossy emulsion that helps the mint, capers, and sun-dried tomatoes stick to the noodles.
- Utilize the Tomato Oil: For an extra punch of flavor, substitute the 3 tablespoons of regular olive oil with the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar (if you have enough oil in the jar).
- Currant Substitutions: The sweet-and-savory contrast (known as agrodolce in Sicilian cooking) from the currants is incredible. If you don't have them, that's okay, just leave them out.