Recipe: Caramelized little tomatoes with linguine

Makes 3 to 4 servings as a main dish; 6 to 8 as an appetizer

Good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 whole dried red-chili pepper or 1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes

3 tablespoons water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 to 4 pounds small tomatoes, left whole or halved

16 large fresh basil leaves, torn

1 pound linguine, uncooked

5 quarts boiling salted water in a 6-quart pot

6 to 8 ounces mozzarella, diced small (optional)

1. Generously coat the bottom of a 12-inch straight-sided saute pan with oil. Add the garlic, chili pepper and water, along with a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Set over medium heat and cover. Cook about 5 minutes, adjusting heat so garlic softens but does not burn. Uncover, scoop out garlic and chili pepper with a slotted spoon and reserve (there's no need to remove the red-pepper flakes, if using). Stand back as you cook off all the liquid, which will pop in the pan.

2. Once the liquid is pretty much gone, add the tomatoes. Squash them down with the back of a wooden spoon and cook over high heat until they start to color (about 3 minutes). Stir in the basil and pull the pan off the heat. Return the reserved garlic to the pan; do the same with the whole chili pepper, if using.

3. Drop the linguine into the boiling water and cook, stirring often, until tender-firm to the bite. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Then immediately drain the pasta in a colander.

4. Set the saute pan back over medium-high heat, add the reserved pasta water and stir in the drained pasta. Toss to blend, taste for seasoning and then toss in the mozzarella. Serve immediately.