Monday, April 26, 2010

Roasted Grape Tomato Sauce

We made this recipe a number of times last fall, after it cooled off enough for our grape tomato plants to really start producing. We're hoping for a slightly cooler summer, so maybe we'll have tomatoes all summer instead of spring and fall. It's a fairly easy recipe, with not a lot of time in the kitchen. It's modified from a Bon Appetit recipe, and I was going to link to it, but I realized the modifications we made this time stray a little too far from the original recipe. It may be the subject of another post in the future, because we do enjoy it so much.

First, preheat the oven to 375. Slice tomatoes and add them, with olive oil, balsamic, red pepper flakes, garlic, basil, and oregano to a glass baking dish.















Roast the tomato mixture for 45 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are very tender.
Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the tomato mixture and stir over medium heat until heated. Add cheese and stir until melted. Serve, adding a fresh basil garnish if you so desire.



Ingredients (for two servings and leftovers)
1 1/2 pounds grape tomatoes (or cherry)
1/3 cup olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 t crushed red pepper
3 T chopped fresh basil
3 T chopped fresh oregano
1/2 pound pasta of your choice
3 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated
extra basil and olive oil for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375. Slice the tomatoes in half, and combine them in a glass baking dish with the olive oil, balsamic, garlic, red pepper, basil, and oregano. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes or until tomatoes become nice and soft. Stir occasionally. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and set aside.
Cook pasta in boiling water until almost done. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, along with the tomato mixture. Reheat over medium heat until heated, then add the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. The cheese will be very stringy.
Serve with a basil garnish and a light drizzle of olive oil, if desired. It pairs nicely with a green salad.

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