Description
Roasted tomato garlic and ricotta pasta brings summer’s sweetest flavors right to your dinner table. Creamy ricotta and caramelized tomatoes create a simple yet elegant pasta that feels like a warm hug from an Italian grandmother.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- 6 cloves garlic
- 12 ounces pasta
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
Supporting Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- Zest of 1 lemon
Seasoning:
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Arrange an oven rack in the middle position and heat to 400F. Spread 2 pints cherry tomatoes and 6 unpeeled garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil over the ingredients and season with salt, black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- Roast the tomatoes and garlic for 20-25 minutes until the tomatoes burst and caramelize. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic from its papery skin and mash it gently. Stir the mashed garlic back into the roasted tomatoes.
- Fill a large pot with water and add salt. Bring to a rolling boil and cook 12 oz pasta until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk 1 cup ricotta cheese with 2 tablespoons Parmesan, lemon zest, a pinch of salt, and a splash of pasta water until smooth and creamy.
- Add the drained pasta to the ricotta mixture and toss until evenly coated. Gently fold in the roasted tomatoes and garlic.
- If the sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Transfer the pasta to serving plates. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan and torn fresh basil leaves. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- Use high-quality cherry tomatoes at peak ripeness for the most intense roasted flavor.
- Make sure to reserve pasta water, as it helps create a silky, emulsified sauce that perfectly coats each strand.
- When roasting tomatoes, watch closely to ensure they burst and caramelize without burning, which can make them bitter.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular pasta with chickpea or zucchini noodles, and the dish remains just as delicious.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Roasted
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 399 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 127 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 23 mg