My husband and I are both pasta fanatics, and if I go more than three days without pasta of some kind, it’s unusual. I made a quick trip to a local outdoor market last weekend and bought some gorgeous Roma tomatoes and red peppers. I knew I wanted to make a pasta dish that evening, so I decided to roast my tomatoes and peppers along with some sliced shallots and whole garlic cloves. After the veggies were roasted and starting to caramelize, I pureed them in my blender with extra-virgin olive oil and seasonings.
Any type of pasta would work with this sauce, from fresh fettuccine or linguine to short-dried pasta such as penne or rigatoni. After pureeing the sauce, I kept it warm on the stove while I cooked the pasta. Once I mixed the cooked pasta with the sauce, I folded in some finely chopped fresh basil. I served my pasta with a sprinkling of Pecorino Romano cheese and cracked black pepper. The sauce has an earthy sweetness and a slightly smoky flavor, thanks to the roasting of the vegetables, which I found absolutely delicious. I will certainly make this sauce often this summer!
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Ingredients
- 10 Ripe Roma Tomatoes, Cut In Half & Cored, or 3 Cups Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 Red Bell Peppers, Removing Cores and Seeds, and Coarsely Chopping, or 8 Baby Sweet Peppers
- 2 Shallots, Peeled & Sliced
- 6 Whole Garlic Cloves
- 1/3 Cup Olive Oil, Divided
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
- 10 Basil Leaves, Slivered
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese & Cracked Black Pepper To Serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. And line a baking tray with aluminum foil.
- Toss the tomatoes, peppers, shallots, garlic, and half the oil on the baking sheet, then season with the oregano, pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until the vegetables begin to shrivel. If using cherry tomatoes, decrease roasting time to about 20 minutes.l
- Place all the vegetables and remaining oil in a blender and pulse until smooth.
- Place the sauce in a small pot and place on stove at a simmer to keep warm.
- Cook pasta of choice according to package directions, then drain, reserving a half cup of pasta water.
- Return the pasta to the pot along with half the sauce and toss, using the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
- Serve the pasta in bowls with an extra spoonful of sauce on the pasta, then a sprinkling of grated cheese and cracked black pepper.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 337Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 198mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 8gSugar: 21gProtein: 8g