Blister Cherry Tomatoes

The blistered cherry-tomato sauce in Chris's pappardelle depends on real char, not a watery stew. Tomatoes release a lot of liquid, so if the pan is too cool or too crowded they collapse and stew instead of blistering. Use a wide, heavy pan, get the oil properly shimmering, and add the tomatoes in a single uncrowded layer. Leave them mostly undisturbed so the skins blacken and split, shaking only occasionally, before crushing them lightly into a loose, chunky sauce. That char is what gives the sauce its sweet, smoky backbone.