This is the kind of recipe I just love to make in the summer. The tomatoes are cooked low and slow, for 3 hours at 225F with zero hands on time, meaning dinner won’t be contributing to this heatwave we’ve had going on.
I learned this method from a friend and former colleague from Martha Stewart, Jane Sweeney, who learned it from her Mother in Law (I really appreciate these sorts of things). The tomatoes take 5 minutes to prep, and come out of the oven intensely flavored and sweet and make a most delicious sauce with hardly any effort. Jane now contributes to the Cool Mom Picks website with accessible, family friendly recipes like this one that is on my list to try.
This sauce is also an excellent toast topper with ricotta, spooned over grilled chicken, or used as the tomato in a caprese salad. It’s just an all around great recipe to have in your back pocket.
I use Jovial Foods brown rice pasta in this dish, as I do in many of my pasta dishes, but feel free to use any pasta you and your family likes. There is almost no shape or variety that won’t work here. Enjoy!
Slow Roasted Tomato and Garlic Pasta
Serves 4
1.5 lbs cherry tomatoes, halved
5 garlic cloves, in skin
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
1 lb. pasta of choice (I use Jovial brown rice pasta)
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped, for garnish
Fresh parmesan, grated, for serving
Preheat oven to 225F.
On a large sheet pan, toss together the halved tomatoes with ¼ cup olive oil, the 1 teaspoon salt, and garlic cloves in their skin.
Roast for 3 hours, untouched. When finished they should be shriveled, intensely flavored and sweet.
Once out of the oven, discard the garlic skin and smash the garlic a bit.
In a large bowl, stir the tomatoes and garlic with the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil.
Top with hot, cooked pasta and ½ cup reserved pasta water.
Serve with grated parmesan and basil, if desired.
