Recipe: Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta (serves 2)

recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap
From: recipelink.com

Subject: Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta (serves two)
From: Kristin Satterlee
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Date: 1998/08/25

I made this for lunch a couple of days ago, and it was so good I actually refrained from eating the cherry tomatoes off the vines like candy until I had enough to make it again. The tomatoes are roasting right now for dinner.

I couldn't find a recipe anywhere for cherry tomato pasta that wasn't fussy, usually involving food mills. :) So I made one. It's utterly simple and really delicious.

1 1/2 pints ripe cherry tomatoes
6 - 10 plump cloves garlic (depending on how much you like garlic)
3 - 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, separated
Salt and pepper
1/2 lb spaghetti or vermicelli, cooked til al dente
1/4 - 1/2 cup pecorino romano, good parmesan, or other grating cheese

Place the tomatoes in one layer in an oven-proof casserole (the regular size oval Corningware casserole is perfect). Distribute the garlic cloves between the tomatoes. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over all and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place casserole in 325 degree oven and bake 45 minutes to an hour, until tomatoes are extremely soft and sizzling and oil has turned reddish-orange.

Remove garlic from casserole and crush with a fork. Stir into hot pasta, distributing evenly. Pour tomatoes over; toss. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil (really nice quality, if you have it) and add 1/2 the cheese. Toss again. Distribute into pasta bowls (warmed would be lovely) and top with remaining cheese and a good grinding of pepper. Serve hot.