Rachel said she added the torn basil right before she took her first bite, and suggests anyone else making this at home do the same. She said it tasted fresh, light, and perfectly salty, and the fragrant basil leaves balanced out the intense flavors coming from the tomato candy.
One key part of this dish came from the feather-like shavings of cheese, which Rachel said didn't weigh this dish down the same way melted mozzarella would have.
There are several components of this dish that make it perfect for meal prepping or serving at a dinner party. You can batch-prepare this meal by cooking the tomatoes ahead of time and setting the basil aside until you're ready to serve.
Regardless of how many portions you're cooking up (this recipe serves four as-is), Rachel says she'd recommend making extra tomato candy as it would go well with loads of other dishes.
To preserve the tomato candy, Nosrat recommends submerging them in a jar of olive oil for up to six weeks. For longer-term storage, you can also freeze the candy first in a single layer on a baking sheet, and then transfer it to a freezer bag once frozen through, where it'll keep for up to six months.
Get the full recipe for Samin Nosrat's pasta with cherry tomato "candy" here.