Roasted Tomato Pasta

Its been almost two weeks since I’ve returned from Italy and I’m still having withdrawals.  I miss all the fresh homemade pasta, the plethora of charcuterie, and the endless glasses of wine.

This is a simple pasta dish reminiscent to those delicious meals I had in northern Italy.

Nowadays you can get tomatoes any time of the year, but during the colder months tomatoes are usually shipped from halfway around the globe.  I prefer to stock up on tomatoes during the summer when they are actually in season.  Not only do they taste better, but they are also fresher because they didn’t have to travel far to get to you.

Roasting tomatoes can take some time because of its high moisture content, about an hour or so.  But I swear its really simple!  Halve the tomatoes, coat them with some extra-virgin olive oil and add a couple pinches of kosher salt and granulated sugar.  Place the tomatoes in a low temperature oven, go do whatever you need to do around the house, and come back to kitchen to the sweet aroma of the finished tomatoes.  This slow roasting process enhances the sweet flavor of the fruit while creating an excellent sauce as the tomato juice infuses with the olive oil.  Its best to use small tomatoes for this recipe, like cherry, grape or mini heirlooms because they cook more evenly.

Once you’ve roasted the tomatoes, its time to throw all the other components together.  While this dish is great warm (when the cheese is ooey and gooey), it is also delicious and refreshing chilled.  That makes this perfect for picnics, barbecues, or any other outdoor events.  Not to mention, its a great vegetarian dish.