Pasta tossed in harissa sauce with dates and almond crumble, offering sweet, spicy, and crunchy notes.
# Components:
→ Pasta
01 - 12.3 ounces dried rigatoni or penne
02 - Salt, for pasta water
→ Harissa Sauce
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons harissa paste (adjust to taste)
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
10 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
11 - 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
13 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Date and Almond Crumble
14 - 2.8 ounces whole raw almonds
15 - 6 Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped
16 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
17 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
18 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
→ Garnish
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
20 - Lemon wedges
# Directions:
01 - Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, following package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining and setting the pasta aside.
02 - While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the finely chopped red onion for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic, harissa paste, ground cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Incorporate the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Allow the sauce to simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it slightly thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
04 - In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the whole raw almonds for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Roughly chop the toasted almonds and combine them with the chopped dates, sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sea salt. Set aside.
05 - Toss the drained pasta with the harissa sauce. Add reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky texture.
06 - Divide the pasta among serving plates. Generously sprinkle with the date and almond crumble, and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
