Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes - Cooks Illustrated

Published January 1, 2004.

Sun-dried tomatoes can be dry and overpowering. We set out to solve both problems.

The Problem

Unfortunately, Sun-dried tomatoes are often parched and leathery or overmarinated and overpowering.

The Goal

Meaty, sweet, chewy, and bright-tasting tomatoes, partnered with pasta and other, assertive ingredients that can stand up to the tomatoes' strong flavor.

The Solution

First drain and rinse the tomatoes to rid them of their universally unpleasant marinades, then cut them into small pieces to tame their presence. Finally, pair them with equally strong ingredients like olives, garlic, anchovies, arugula, and capers.

list of recipes

America’s Test Kitchen is a 2,500-square-foot kitchen located just outside of Boston. It is the home of Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated magazines and is the workday destination for more than three dozen test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes until we understand how and why they work and arrive at the best version. We also test kitchen equipment and supermarket ingredients in search of brands that offer the best value and performance. You can watch us work by tuning in to America’s Test Kitchen (www.americastestkitchen.com) on public television.