Cherry Tomatoes, Two Ways, With Pasta
Tomatoes are ripe and ready!
There are two reasons why I love this pasta dish:
1) The roasted tomatoes
2) The fresh tomatoes
Perhaps those add up to just one reason: tomatoes. However you slice it, dice it, or roast it, the tomatoes are this dish. Every year, it is the first dish I look forward to making when the tomatoes come in (and then I continue to make it again, possibly weekly, until they’re gone). It’s easy, has just a few ingredients, and comes together fairly quickly.
This recipe comes from Martha Stewart, and within hours of first reading it, I was devouring it and ready for seconds. The most labor-intensive step is probably popping the tops off of all the tomatoes. Once that’s done, you make a hands-off sauce by oven roasting tomatoes in olive oil which, once cool enough, you may be tempted to eat by the spoonful. After tossing the roasted tomatoes with pasta to lightly coat the noodles, you top it of with some fresh tomatoes and their juices, summer herbs, a dollop of fresh ricotta, and cheesy breadcrumbs. Once you’re enjoying your first bite, you’ll wonder how something so simple became so delicious and complex. The combination of roasted tomatoes and fresh makes for a really fun mix of tomato flavors.
Cherry tomatoes become something quite magical once roasted in olive oil - if you haven’t tried this method of cooking them, yet, you’re in for a treat! The sungolds are especially nice because their specific and unique flavor and texture cooks down to something truly amazing.
The original recipe calls for both heirloom and cherry tomatoes. I find the cherry tomatoes to be absolutely necessary (bonus points if they’re sungolds here), but the heirlooms could be swapped out for a cherry tomatoes with excellent results – in fact, I prefer the swap for cherry tomatoes!
So here it is, your dinner tonight (and every night until the end of tomato time):
The mixed medley pint is nice here for the mix of colors and shapes, as the fresh tomato topping is front and center on the finished dish.
Fresh and Roasted Tomato Pasta
Ingredients:
· 3 pints of cherry tomatoes (ideally at least 1 of these is Sungold and 1 Mixed Medley)
· Several tablespoons of Olive Oil
· Garlic cloves (optional)
· Salt & Pepper to taste
· 1 lb pasta (bucatini, or another spaghetti-like shape is great, but any shape will work!)
· Handful each of fresh Basil and Mint (about ¼ cup of each), torn
· 3-5 slices of your favorite hearty bread
· ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano (or parmesan), plus more for serving
· Fresh Ricotta cheese
Here’s how it come together:
Preheat oven to 425 F (yes, I know it’s hot out, but it’s worth it!). Pop the stems off all cherry tomatoes. Set aside half, and put the other half (sungolds are superb here) into an 8x8 glass baking dish, or something similar, drizzle with a goodly amount of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. You could add hot pepper flakes too, and as many peeled, whole, smashed garlic cloves as you like – I use 4-5. Place dish in oven and let roast until the tomatoes blister, start to brown, and their juices have released and married with the olive oil, making a sort-of-sauce. This will take about 20 minutes. Check on them once or twice while they cook and give them a good shake.
Once your tomatoes are in the oven, prepare the breadcrumbs by tearing your bread slices into large, bite-sized, chunks. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, or cast iron, and drizzle generously with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and a nice shower of Pecorino Romano (reserve about ¼ cup for pasta). Put these in the oven, and let cook until they’re golden brown and have a nice crunch. They’ll take about 10-12 minutes, but keep a close eye on them as they'll go from perfect to charred quickly! Toss halfway through cooking.
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, salt the water generously and add the pasta. Cook according to package directions for al dente.
Now that the tomatoes are roasting, bread crumbs are toasting, and pasta is cooking, it’s a good time to prepare the fresh tomatoes that will be used as a topping. Slice the other 1½ pints of tomatoes in half. I like to use the mixed medley here because it adds a nice pop of colors, but you can use whatever you like! Place sliced tomatoes in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs. Let sit, tossing occasionally as they release some of the tomato juices, while the rest of the dish comes together.
Once pasta is done cooking, drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Return pasta to pot, adding the roasted tomatoes and all their juices (throw in a few tablespoons of butter now, too, if you have some on hand) and a handful of pecorino romano. Stir vigorously, until the cheese has melted and coated the pasta. Use some pasta water to thin it out, if needed. The pasta should be coated, but it will not be too “saucy.”
To serve, divide pasta into bowls or plates. Spoon some fresh tomato mixture (be sure to get some juices) over each, with a dollop of the ricotta, and a few breadcrumbs.
For the original recipe, visit Martha Stewart’s Bucatini with Fresh and Roasted Tomatoes
