Sun Gold cherry tomatoes are the star of our summer tomato patch yet again. Year after year they prove to be the most productive cherry tomatoes that we grow, so after harvesting almost 2 pounds the other day, I just knew I had to create a recipe featuring them! This saffron chili sun gold tomato pasta is what I came up with & let me tell you, it is my new favorite way to eat sun gold tomatoes (other than just popping them in my mouth)!
Sun Gold cherry tomatoes are superbly orange with a rich, sweet-tart flavor. For this pasta recipe, I decided to combine them with saffron – but not just any saffron, GREEK saffron! In the region of Kozani in Northern Greece there is a village called Krokos that is famous for its saffron. Unbeknownst to most people, the saffron that comes from this Greek village is considered some of the best in the world & it is a truly treasured ingredient in our kitchen.
This sauce may come together in only 10 minutes but it is so full of flavor. The sweet, tart Sun Gold tomatoes pair beautifully with the subtle allure of saffron and its unmistakable scent & flavor. The saffron also bestows a striking golden hue that compliments the star of this recipe, our homegrown Sun Gold cherry tomatoes. Butter, olive oil, chili & lemon combine together to make for a vibrant & luscious pasta sauce that deserves to be paired with the best pasta you can get your hands on. Which naturally led me to make homemade pasta!
Now, you don’t have to make homemade pasta for this recipe to be delicious. But when I dreamt up this recipe in my mind, I had the urge to learn how to make homemade pasta, so I did! The process was so much easier than I thought, (especially thanks to Kitchenaid’s pasta attachments) and I could not have enjoyed the process more! I would compare making homemade pasta to making bread at home – you develop a feel for the pasta dough as you slowly work it into perfect, pliable sheets. Making pasta from scratch is such a beautiful experience that I highly recommend trying, I know there will be more of it in my future.
Many people say that once you try homemade pasta it is hard to go back to buying the dried stuff from the store. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the convenience of storebought pasta, but, after eating the pasta I made myself, I get the hype! But I think most of the hype lies in the fact that something made from scratch is inherently satisfying, no matter what it is. There is a certain love & intimacy instilled in from-scratch food that nothing bought from a box can quite compare to.
My homemade fettuccine noodles were an amazing vehicle to soak up the saffron chili sun gold tomato sauce. And you could stop at simply serving the sauce with pasta, but I absolutely love the way that saffron pairs with seafood, so I decided to sear off some scallops to make this pasta dish a bit heartier. Finally, I garnished the pasta with a finishing touch of society garlic blossoms, which are similar to chive blossoms but have a longer blooming season so are more readily available in the summer.
Whether you are growing Sun Gold tomatoes in your garden or you have a chance to pick some up from a farmers market this summer, you are most definitely going to want to try this saffron chili sun gold tomato pasta. I know we will be eating it every time we have a hefty harvest from our tomato patch this summer!
SAFFRON CHILI SUN GOLD TOMATO PASTA
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
FOR THE PASTA & SAUCE:
- 16 ounces fettuccine, spaghetti or buccatini
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 12 threads of saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp water for 2 hours
- 1 pound Sun Gold tomatoes, halved
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Kosher salt to taste
FOR THE SCALLOPS & GARNISH
- 12–16 jumbo scallops (about 1–1.25 pounds)
- Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp society garlic blossoms for garnish (you can substitute with chive blossoms or fresh basil)
Instructions
FOR THE PASTA & SAUCE:
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook diced shallot and red pepper flakes, stirring often, until shallot is softened, about 4 minutes.
- Add soaked saffron in water & halved tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes are soft and start to release their juices, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add lemon zest & season sauce with salt to taste. Add pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Cook, tossing constantly and adding more reserved pasta water as needed, until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta, about 2 minutes.
FOR THE SCALLOPS & GARNISH:
- Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.
- Heat a 12-14 inch pan over high heat, add the butter and olive oil.
- Season each side of the scallops with kosher salt. Once the butter & olive oil begin to smoke, gently add the scallops to the pan, making sure they are not touching each other.
- Sear the scallops for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. The scallops should have a deep golden crust on each side.
- Serve the pasta topped with scallops & garnish with society garlic blossoms.
Notes
Making fresh pasta is an entire process in itself – here is the recipe that I used for my first try: https://selfproclaimedfoodie.com/homemade-pasta/
I rolled my pasta sheets out to a number 6 on the Kitchenaid pasta roller before cutting it to fettuccine :)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pasta
Oh My SWEEEET Jesus!!!!!!!!!
You are too funny!
these are absolutely THE MOST STUNNING pictures i have EVER seen in my ENTIRE life!!!
Thank you SO much! That means a lot!
hands down, NO exceptions!!
:D
i can NOT stop staring at them, i literally keep trying to pick a favorite, but, it is IMPOSSIBLE, i can’t decide on which is the best because each one brings it’s own element of amazement and awe in it’s own way!!
you are too kind! thank you so much!
Bella I AM freakin out over this post girl… it is by far not only your best photography EVER, but the simplicity and depth that these flavor combos surely brings to the palate is nothing short of Savant Genius status 4SURE!!!
I mean it when I wrote that this is a serious favorite of ours! I love a lot of different foods, but this flavor combo is DIVINE!
the most beautiful pasta!!!!
Thank you Ash! You would love this one ;)
Of course you kindly included a link for the saffron! I’ve been buying Iranian saffron from World Market and am thrilled to go Greek. Thank you, Bella. 💛
But of course! Greek saffron is truly so special! Here is a link to learn a little bit more about the history of Greek saffron:
https://www.odysea.com/products/saffron