Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce
from https://familystylefood.com/
Cook sweet cherry tomatoes under the broiler until they burst with juice! This recipe is super-quick to make and tastes so fresh and delicious. Use this sauce to top pasta, zucchini noodles, pizza or on toasted bread (bruschetta). Make it at the height of summer with your super-sweet garden-grown or farmer’s market tomatoes or during the rest of the year, when we you want a taste of summer. While the tomatoes roast under the broiler in minutes, the pasta water comes to a boil and dinner is ready in a flash! Serve over spaghetti or linguine with creamy ricotta or mozzarella and some fresh basil (if it’s summer) for an incredible Italian-style dinner.
FMM: You could also put the tomatoes in a flat pan, mix with olive oil and garlic, and place in a 400 degrees oven for 25 - 30 minutes. Then put them under the broiler to brown and carmelize them. Let cool a bit and put in a blender to chop up the tomato skins. Cook with sauted onion, fresh or dried basil, and any other additions you would like. If you want a hardier flavor, add some tomato puree or tomato paste. See Roasted Cherry Tomatoes for roasting and carmelizing the tomatoes.
Kosher salt
1 pound (450 g) cherry tomatoes, preferably mixed colors
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces (340 g) spaghetti, bucatini, or linguine
1 fat garlic clove, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crumbled red chili
Black pepper from a pepper grinder
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (50 g) grated fresh parmesan cheese
Fresh thyme and/or basil leaves, roughly chopped
Preheat the broiler to high, with a rack positioned 6-inches from the heat source.
Bring a large pot (6 quarts) of water to a boil and season with 2 tablespoons salt. Cook the pasta until al dente.
Put the tomatoes, olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large (10 or 12-inch) ovenproof skillet. Place the pan under the broiler and cook until the tomatoes brown and begin to burst, shaking the pan once or twice so they cook evenly, 5 – 10 minutes depending on the power of your broiler. They are best roasted until just burst.
Remove the pan from the broiler and stir in the garlic, chili and about 10 twists of black pepper. Gently smoosh the tomatoes with the back of a spoon so that they release their juices.
Drain the pasta and toss with sauce. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of ricotta into each serving bowl and sprinkle with the parmesan. Divide the hot pasta into the bowls and sprinkle with the herbs.
NOTES AND TIPS
- The sauce will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Try these tomatoes spread on flatbread or pizza, on top of risotto or piled onto warm garlic bread for a delicious appetizer or snack.
4 servings
