Fusili With Roasted Tomato Sauce

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

I have been craving pasta for the past few days but I have done nothing about it. When Olivia and I picked several fresh tomatoes from our garden yesterday, I finally found incentive to search for a pasta recipe. There was a bag of organic fusili in the cupboard waiting to be used and fresh basil in the garden waiting to be picked so when I found this recipe for Fusili With Roasted Tomato Sauce, I knew it was the perfect fit. The recipe calls for 3 1/2 pounds of tomatoes but we only picked about 2 pounds from the garden. I ran up to PCC Market to get the additional pound and a half of tomatoes plus ingredients to make a green salad. Let the prepping and cooking begin!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

6 large tomatoes (about 3 1/2 pounds), cored, cut in half crosswise and seeded

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried

3/4 tsp salt, divided

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1/4 tsp black pepper

3 1/2 cups hot cooked long fusili (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)

1/4 cup ( 1 ounce) fresh grated Parmesan cheese

basil sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush jelly roll pan or shallow roasting pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange tomatoes in single layer, cut sides down, in pan. Arrange crushed garlic around tomatoes; sprinkle tomatoes with thyme and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes; drain juice from pan. Bake additional 30 minutes. Remove tomatoes from pan; cool slightly. Discard juice and crushed garlic. Peel and coarsely chop tomatoes.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add chopped garlic, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chopped tomatoes and basil, and cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add pasta and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese; garnish with basil sprigs, if desired.

Although this is not the sexiest dish I have prepared thus far, it did have a rustic appeal that we appreciated. The flavors were clean and simple and as a tomato connoisseur, I could taste the roast on the tomatoes as the first bite touched my tongue. There is just something about roasted vegetables that make them seem a bit decadent. I especially love the flavor that roasting imparts on tomatoes and peppers; even more so when they are being used as the base for a sauce or soup. All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed the dish and I would consider making it again. I did add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the finished product because it looked as though the pasta might be a tiny bit more dry than we prefer.

As a side note, even before I prepared this recipe, I wondered if I was seeding tomatoes correctly. Before coring and seeding them tonight, I looked online to see if there was a better method than the squeezing method I employ. I found a great set of instructions and options on allrecipes.com that includes squeezing, using your finger, or using a spoon to remove the seeds. I found that squeezing works well with ripe tomatoes and using my finger or a knife (I preferred using a knife to using a spoon) works well with firm tomatoes. One of the aspects of this cooking project I have enjoyed most is learning simple food preparation techniques that I have always wondered about, such as boiling an egg correctly and seeding tomatoes. Having some of these basic techniques under my belt has made me a much better cook. Now if I could only learn some knife skills!

A special thank you to my little blonde cooking fairy. Yes, I really am saying that she acted as my Sous Chef while wearing a fairy costume. I am kicking myself for not snapping a photo but you will have to trust me; fairies do indeed cook. :)

Recipe Source:

Cooking Light Magazine, January 2003 via myrecipes.com