Spaghetti With Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Basil

One of the things I like doing is having a look at what’s in the “reduced” produce section. One can sometimes find some good deals for a perfectly fine product…as long as you use it in a day or two.

Yesterday I found some pints of cherry tomatoes and they were on sale for a buck a pop! I snapped up a couple of pints and while driving home, I was pondering how to use these sweet tomatoes.

I was going to roast them. I cranked my oven, put the tomatoes in an oven-safe pan, drizzle some olive oil, threw in some salt, tossed them and in they went. After just over a 1/2 hour I opened the oven to find these shriveled tomatoes that oozed of their sweet juices and a hue of red-tinged olive oil. This dish was gonna be good!

Spaghetti With Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Basil
(for 2)

2 handfuls of spaghetti
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 handful of fresh basil, chiffonade
salt & pepper
grated Parmesan
pasta water

1. Pre-heat your oven to 450F. Place your tomatoes in a oven-safe pan and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and toss. Roast your tomatoes for 30-40 minutes or until they are shriveled and have some brown colour.
2. Get a pot of water boiling. Throw in your salt and pasta and boil for 8 minutes (al dente).
3. Just before your pasta is ready to be strained, ladle out some pasta water into your pan of roasted tomatoes and deglaze the pan and add your garlic under medium heat and reserve.
4. When your pasta is done, strain the water and add the pasta to your tomatoes along with your basil. Add fresh ground pepper, some grated cheese and adjust seasoning.
5. Top with some grated Parmesan cheese and serve.