Spaghetti with Cold Tomato-Mint Sauce

Name: Spaghetti with Cold Tomato-Mint Sauce
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 12 ounces ripe cherry tomatoes, about 2 1/2 cups; 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves; 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves; 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted; 2 small anchovy fillets, finely chopped (2 teaspoons); 1 plump garlic clove, crushed and peeled; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/8 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste; 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup small capers, drained; 1 pound spaghetti; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 1 cup freshly grated pecorino (or half pecorino and half Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for a milder flavor), plus more for passing; A large pot for cooking the pasta; a food processor; a large, deep serving bowl

December 9, 2011

Our friend Franco Azzara made this memorable pasta dish for us during a recent visit to his home in the Gallura region of Sardinia. I marveled at how quickly he put it together, and at the complex flavor of the raw sauce—just fresh tomatoes, basil and mint, and other savory seasonings, whipped up in a food processor, no cooking necessary. I thank him for sharing this Azzara family recipe, one that I know you will enjoy both for its ease and convenience and for its brilliant flavors.

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