Slow Roasted Tomato Sauce for Pasta
A slow roast method is the key to this rich roasted tomato pasta sauce. Baby carrots and garlic join bite sized carrot or grape tomatoes for the ultimate savory and sweet pasta dish. Talk about the perfect lazy Sunday supper recipe — it is beyond simple, can be made ahead, and literally everyone loves it.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb grape or cherry tomatoes any bite sized tomato works
- 1 head of garlic cloves separated and unpeeled
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ lb fusilli pasta
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
- fresh basil to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°. On a large sheet pan, toss the tomatoes and carrots in the olive oil. Drizzle some over the unpeeled garlic cloves. Season with salt, pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.1 lb grape or cherry tomatoes, 1 head of garlic, 1 cup baby carrots, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Roast the vegetables for about 1 hour or until caramelized, checking the garlic at the 25 minute mark (remove as needed). Squeeze the cloves out of the skins and add to a blender.Finish roasting the tomatoes and carrots until caramelized and golden, about 45 minutes.
- Allow the veggies to slightly cool before adding the remaining contents of the into the blender. IMPORTANT: Remove the small cap/ stopper covering the whole in the center of the blender and cover the opening with a folded dish towel. Turn the blender on low and puree the vegetables until smooth, ramping up the speed. This should take no more than a minute or two.
- Boil the pasta in a pot of salted water until al dente according to the package directions. Once cooked, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta in a colander. To the same pot, add the roasted tomato sauce and then pour over the pasta. Toss until coated adding any reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed. Stir in 1/4 cup of pasta water and then ramp up to the desired texture.½ lb fusilli pasta
- Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese and basil leaves.freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil to garnish
Notes
I love serving this alongside some roasted pork or juicy chicken breasts.
If you use anything smaller than a grape tomato, reduce the oven temp a bit perhaps to 300° and possibly lessen the roasting time. The tomatoes will let you know when they're done. If you start seeing them burn, it's time to remove them from the oven.
