Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes pairs up with Beef-Zucchini Meatballs
Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Simply Delicious!
This is one of those recipes that is so simple, it hardly needs a recipe. But that’s one of the things I love about Italian cooking. They treat food simply and with respect. There are of course complex, long-simmering Italian dishes. But there are also recipes based on a few simply prepared, quality ingredients which are sublime. This is one of those recipes.
Why it Works:
- Super sweet cherry tomatoes combined with olive oil, Parmesan and fresh bread crumbs create a light sauce that clings nicely to the pasta. Try my version which uses a mix of heirloom cherry tomatoes.
- Use whatever pasta you prefer. The original NY Times Cooking recipe used penne, but I had bucatini on hand so I used that.
- Very flexible recipe which is great as it, but can also be customized to your heart’s content. I added crushed red pepper, but it would also be delicious with fresh basil, oregano, slivered kalamata olives, etc..
- Can be served as a side dish or as a main dish with the addition of some sauteed chicken, sausage or…..
Try with Beef-Zucchini Meatballs
Actually I decided to make this recipe because I had a double batch of of my Beef-Zucchini Meatballs in the freezer. Initially they were for a dinner party that ended up being cancelled.
While it’s nice to have a stash of tasty meatballs in the freezer, I was in need of a new idea for serving them. I had already made meals with the traditional marinara and vodka sauces and wanted to try something new. The reason this Roasted Cherry Tomato sauce works so well is because the meatballs are very tender and don’t require a heavy sauce to taste good. A delicious combo I encourage you to try!
Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 pound small cherry tomatoes halved
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil plus 2 to 3 tablespoons for tossing
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- crushed red pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino romano with additional for serving
- ¼ cup fresh bread crumbs
- ½ pound pasta
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line bottom of casserole dish with cherry tomatoes in a single layer, halved side up. Pour oil on top, season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs on top. Bake until tomatoes have wilted, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with enough sea salt so that water tastes mildly of salt. When tomatoes are just about done, add pasta to water and cook until al dente (it should be pliable, but still firm in center). Scoop out about a cup of pasta water and reserve. Drain pasta and add to casserole. Fold tomatoes and pasta together, adding another 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding the crush red pepper, if using. If it is dry, add a little reserved pasta water. Serve, passing more grated cheese at the table.
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