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Martha Stewart's Pasta with Marinated Tomatoes

A pasta dish tossed with a marinated mixture of fresh and oven-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, herbs, and basil.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 12 ingredients
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Why it works: Basil and oregano match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,390 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓

Martha Stewart's Pasta with Marinated Tomatoes

Oven275°F
Time1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients

Directions

Make the tomato mixture

  1. Combine fresh and oven-dried tomatoes, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

  2. Marinate at room temperature for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cook and toss the pasta

  1. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, 7 to 10 minutes.

  2. Drain well, and while still hot, toss with tomato mixture.

  3. Coarsely chop basil and combine with pasta.

  4. Serve immediately, or at room temperature.

Oven-dry the tomatoes

  1. Preheat oven to 275°F.

  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  3. Place tomatoes cut side up on baking sheet.

  4. Drizzle with oil and season with salt, pepper, and herbs.

  5. Bake until shriveled but still moist, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

  6. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

188Calories
2 gProtein
14 gFat
16 gCarbs

Counts 9 of 10 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 9 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Plum1 medium (66g)30
Tomato1 medium (123g)22
Black Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Oregano1 tsp dried (1.8g)5
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Basil5 leaves fresh (2.5g)1
Parsley1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g)1
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Marjoramnot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Basil + oreganotop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together1,390 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

  2. Tomato + olivetop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together15,539 recipes

    Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).

  3. Tomato + basiltop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together3,979 recipes

    Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).

  4. Tomato + oreganotop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together2,767 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).

  5. Garlic + oreganotop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together3,756 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Plum tomatoes
Shrink in the oven to concentrate their flavor while staying moist and tender.
Extra-virgin olive oil
Carries flavor and coats the pasta and tomatoes, adding richness and moisture.
Pasta (in the method)
Provides the bulk of the dish; its starchy surface helps the sauce cling while hot.
Fresh basil leaves
Adds a fresh, aromatic herb flavor that brightens the tomatoes.

The step that matters

Drain the pasta well and toss it while still hot. Hot pasta absorbs the oil and tomato juices and its starch helps the sauce cling; cooled or wet pasta stays slippery and the dressing pools.

Swap the basil

The recipe marks basil as optional. How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tomato, olive, clove, garlic, pepper, plum, oregano):

  1. Basilthe original
  2. Thymefits about as well
  3. Cuminfits about as well
  4. Rosemaryfits less well

Fit is the average pairing score against tomato, olive, clove, garlic, pepper, plum, oregano. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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