Carmen in the Garden's Bucatini with Cherry Tomatoes, Fennel Seed, and Arugula

Cherry tomatoes are one of the first signs of summer. In this recipe, you burst them in olive oil with garlic, anchovy, and fennel seed until the pan goes jammy, then toss everything with bucatini and a big handful of peppery arugula. It’s done by the time the pasta is.

It also happens to be a great match for almost anything in the Pali and Neighborhood lines of reds. Fennel seed has a warm, almost licorice flavor that holds up to a structured red. The arugula’s pepperiness is great with a crisp white. And a rosé is bright enough for the richness of the sauce, fruity enough to play off the sweet burst tomatoes. Whatever showed up in your shipment, I think you’ll be happy you opened it with this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound bucatini
• 2 pints (~24 ounces) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 3 cups baby arugula
• Pecorino Romano, finely grated, for serving

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
2. While the water heats, set a large, wide skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. When it shimmers, add the fennel seed and let it bloom until fragrant and just starting to darken, about 30 seconds. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flake, stirring until the garlic is pale gold and softened, about 1 minute.
3. Add the anchovy fillets and press them into the oil with the back of a wooden spoon, stirring and breaking them apart until they dissolve completely into the fat, about 1 minute.
4. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the halved cherry tomatoes, cut side down, along with the salt. Let them cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cut sides begin to blister and caramelize. Stir gently, then continue cooking, pressing some of the tomatoes with the back of the spoon to release their juices, until the tomatoes have collapsed into a chunky, loose sauce, 6 to 8 minutes total. The pan should look jammy and glossy, with some tomatoes still holding their shape. Reduce the heat to low.
5. Drop the bucatini into the boiling water and cook until 1 minute short of the package directions. Before draining, ladle out 1 cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside.
6. Drain the bucatini and add it directly to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Toss vigorously over medium heat, adding the pasta water a few tablespoons at a time, until the sauce clings to the noodles and looks glossy and emulsified, about 2 minutes. You may not need all the pasta water.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add arugula, tossing until the arugula is just wilted, about 30 seconds.
8. Divide among shallow bowls. Shower generously with grated pecorino.

Learn more about Carmen and explore more of her recipes!