Il Cucinologo
EN

Pasta with Roasted Tomato Sauce

17/11/2023

Preparing pasta with roasted tomato sauce is a delicious way to enhance the flavor of tomatoes through the caramelization that occurs in the oven. Here is the recipe for an Italian variant of this dish.

Ingredients

  • 500 g of pasta of your choice (spaghetti, penne or rigatoni work well)
  • 600 g of ripe tomatoes (San Marzano or cherry tomatoes)
  • 2-3 garlic cloves
  • A handful of fresh basil
  • 4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • grated Parmesan (optional)
  • A pinch of sugar (if necessary)

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  2. Wash the tomatoes and cut them in half (if small) or into quarters (if large). If using cherry tomatoes, you can leave them whole.
  3. Arrange the tomatoes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves (you can easily peel them after cooking).
  4. Drizzle the tomatoes and garlic with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. If the tomatoes are not particularly sweet, add a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.
  5. Roast the tomatoes in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until soft and slightly caramelized.
  6. While the tomatoes are in the oven, bring a pot of salted water to a boil to cook the pasta.
  7. Drain the tomatoes from excess oil and peel them if necessary. Then, transfer them to a bowl and crush them with a fork or a food mill to obtain a rustic sauce.
  8. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.
  9. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water.
  10. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the roasted tomato sauce and a bit of cooking water to achieve the desired sauce consistency. Stir well to combine.
  11. Add the hand-torn basil and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
  12. Serve immediately, with a sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.

Fun Fact

Roasted tomato sauce has a superior depth of flavor compared to that made with raw tomatoes, as the oven heat concentrates the tomato juices by eliminating excess water and intensifies their sweet flavor and rustic naturalness.