Roasted Grape Tomato Pasta
We may be a little bit past the peak of tomato season, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy fresh tomato sauce, especially if we turn to grape tomatoes, which have been particularly good this year. If you’re looking for something that’s quick, easy and healthy, I think this Roasted Grape Tomato Pasta is your answer to “what’s for dinner, tonight?”
This dish is just perfect if you’ve got a box or two of grape or cherry tomatoes around and just don’t know what the heck to do with them because pretty much everything else involved is either fridge or pantry staples.
It’s also extremely versatile. I used ziti pasta but the truth is you could really use any kind. You could also sub in basil for the parsley and even roast a bunch of other veggies along with the tomatoes if you’ve got some that you’ve just got to use up.
But mostly, you should make this because it tastes so great. Roasting the tomatoes and onions brings out their sweetness which you temper with the zing of a couple of pinches of red pepper flakes and some garlic. YUM!
Toss together a side salad and dinner is served. Ka-ching! Give yourself a point for managing to put another delicious meal on the table again! Stay well, my friends!
Roasted Grape Tomato Pasta
Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: Under an hour (lots of this is hands-free time too)
Ingredients
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 pounds grape tomatoes, cut in half
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch of sugar
Salt and black pepper
Pinch or two of red pepper flakes
1 pound dried pasta
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped finely
Freshly grated Parmesan for serving (optional)
The Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a medium bowl combine the onion, tomatoes, garlic, oil, vinegar, sugar a pinch or two of salt and pepper and the red pepper flakes. Turn the mixture out onto a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 35-40 minutes, until the onions are starting to get browned and the tomatoes start looking slightly shriveled.
2. While tomato mixture is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Ladle out a cup of the pasta water to use for later and then drain the pasta in a colander. Return it to the pot. When the tomato mixture is done, scrape it into the pasta pot and add the parsley. Toss well to combine. Add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and toss. If it still seems to dry, add a little more water until you achieve the right consistency. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve and pass around the Parmesan.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen. I used onion instead of shallot, parsley instead of basil, reduced the sugar and simplified some of the cooking methods too.
