The star to this pasta sauce is the cardamom pods — they infuse a spicy, herbal and citrus character to the pasta. If you do not have pods, you can substitute with 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom. Add the ground cardamom before roasting the tomatoes.
2 cups whole cherry tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, skin removed and thinly sliced
4 strips lemon zest, each 1/4-inch wide and 2 inches long
6 cardamom pods, pressed with the flat of a knife to crack pod
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces dried pasta like pappardelle
1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Fresh herbs or fresh grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Add cherry tomatoes, garlic, lemon zest, cardamom pods and olive oil to a large oven-safe pan or Dutch oven. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir the tomatoes then continue to roast until the tomatoes begin to split, 5 to 10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
Remove the pan from oven then remove and discard the cardamom pods and lemon zest. Place the pan over medium heat and add chicken stock. Bring to a simmer then cook until reduced by half. Add the cooked pasta and cook until the sauce coats the pasta, about 1 minute. Season to taste and serve.