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Spaghetti with lemon and cherry tomatoes

a simple summer pasta with a punch of lemon and a little heat
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Course dinner, lunch

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 pints cherry tomatoes halve 1 pint of them
  • 1 teaspoon habanero chili finely diced
  • 2 lemons zested then juiced
  • 1 pound dried pasta bucatini or thick spaghetti
  • ⅓ cup Parmesan Reggiano grated can use Pecorino plus more for serving
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves roughly chopped plus more for serving
  • 1 cup fresh parsley leaves roughly chopped plus more for serving
  • 2-3 links sweet Italian sausage optional - 1½" slices

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic. Cook until it is light brown, about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Add all of the tomatoes and chile. Season generously with salt. Cook until the tomatoes begin to burst, 8-10 minutes. Stir in half the lemon zest and all of the lemon juice. Continue to cook until most of the tomatoes have burst and begun to break down, 3-5 minutes. Set them aside and cover to keep warm.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bucatini and cook according to the package directions until al dente
  • Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the tomato mixture, grated cheese, and ½ cup of the pasta water to the pot and toss to combine. Add additional pasta water, as needed, to make a light sauce. Stir in the fresh herbs and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Serve warm with a sprinkle of fresh herbs, more grated cheese and some lemon zest
  • If using sausage, slice 1 to 1½ inch pieces and sauté in a pan until browned and cooked through. Add on top and around the pasta once plated
Keyword simple, spaghetti with lemon and cherry tomatoes, summer time, sunburst tomatoes