LASAGNA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES

FOR THE PASTA:
3/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup plus 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 egg
FOR THE ROASTED TOMATOES:
1 pound ripe Roma or heirloom tomatoes, peeled, cut lengthwise into 8 slices each
Salt; pepper
FOR THE FILLING:
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 garlic clove, plus 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, divided use
1 tablespoon minced parsley
FOR THE PESTO:
2 cups fresh basil
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese

TO MAKE THE PASTA:
Make pasta dough by pulsing the flour and 4 teaspoons olive oil in a food processor. Add egg and pulse until dough forms a ball that rides around on top of the blade. Remove dough and knead 1 minute. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour.

Roll dough very thin, a 6 setting on most machines, flouring as necessary. The sheets should be 4 inches wide; cut sheets into squares, dust lightly with flour and set aside. Cook 4 or 5 sheets at a time in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water. The pasta will be done when they float to the top, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain pasta on a tea towel if using immediately or transfer to a large bowl of water to store. Repeat to use all the pasta.

TO ROAST THE TOMATOES:
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place tomato slices on a rack, drizzle with 1/4-fourth cup olive oil, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes 40 minutes. Cool slightly.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Meanwhile, beat the ricotta, 1/4 teaspoon salt, minced garlic and parsley in a small bowl. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE PESTO:
Drop garlic cloves through the feed tube of a running food processor or blender and mince. Turn off and add basil. With machine running again, slowly pour the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil through the feed tube. Add pine nuts and Romano; pulse to combine; season with salt.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 square of cooked pasta on a heat-proof plate and brush on pesto to thinly coat the sheet. Spoon 1/4 cup of ricotta in a low mound. Arrange 3 roasted tomato slices on top. Brush 1 more pasta square with pesto, and place this on top of the tomatoes. Repeat with three more plates.

Place all plates on a cookie sheet in the oven for 8 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings
Source: LA Times