Tomato butter pici with burrata and basil. So quick, easy, and delicious. The tomato butter sauce is super creamy and has a certain “alla vodka” flair to it, without any alcohol or cream. I added some cool, creamy burrata and sweet basil to finish, which really adds a nice caprese touch to the dish, or it’s absolutely delicious on its own.
Make your pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, liberally season with salt (it should taste like the ocean!) and start cooking your pici. The cook time on dried pici is around 20 minutes. When the pasta is almost done, remove 1-2 cups of pasta water and reserve.
Make the butter. While the pasta is cooking, mash the butter and tomato paste together with some salt (to taste) until fully combined. You can also use a food processor for this.
Drain your pasta about a minute before the al dente time and add to a large saute pan over medium heat. Add about 1/2 cup of pasta water and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low, add your tomato butter and toss quickly to emulsify. The sauce should now look a bit creamy.
Add your grated parm and toss, adding extra pasta water if necessary till the sauce is the consistency you like.
Serve with burrata and fresh basil, and, of course, enjoy! 🙂
Notes
Pici is incredible and has amazing chew, but because it’s on the thicker side it takes longer to cook. If you’d like to cut the cook time down, use a quicker cooking pasta like standard spaghetti.I always save more pasta water than I need, just in case. Not only is it used to finish the sauce, it’s great for reviving a sauce that’s been sitting a while, and is also amazing for reheating leftovers!
I'm a big eater, a huge fan of pasta (and mac n cheese), and I'm on a mission to prove that indulgence and balance can exist well together without silly restrictions or dieting. Life's too short to eat bad food!
