02 June 2011

Quick-Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce with Spaghetti

I started making this last year (actually a year ago exactly as it was published in the June 2010 Cooking Light Mag). It is so simple and delicious and really says spring. I made it for a couple we had over for dinner and they gobbled it up! I haven't made too many changes as it is a simple recipe as it stands, but I do throw in a little less crushed red pepper flakes as too much of that together with the acidic tomatoes makes my stomach unhappy. Also, to save money, I used dried herbs instead of fresh and it tastes just fine to me.




Ingredients: 
4 quarts water 
2 teaspoons kosher salt 
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti 
2 2/3 cups cherry tomatoes 
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar 
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/16 teaspoon crushed red pepper 
1 tablespoons dried basil 
1 tablespoons dried parsley 
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled semisoft goat cheese





Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add 1 tablespoon salt and spaghetti to boiling water; cook 10 minutes or until spaghetti is al dente. Drain spaghetti in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/3 cup cooking water. Return spaghetti to pan; set aside, and keep warm.

3. While spaghetti cooks, combine tomatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, 3/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper on a jelly-roll pan, tossing well to coat. Bake tomato mixture at 450° for 10 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and lightly charred in places.

4. Add tomatoes and any tomato juice to spaghetti in Dutch oven. Add 3 tablespoons reserved cooking water to jelly-roll pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; carefully pour water mixture and remaining 1 tablespoon oil into spaghetti mixture. Place Dutch oven over medium heat. Add remaining reserved cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spaghetti mixture is moist, tossing frequently. Stir in basil and parsley. Sprinkle with cheese. And let it get all melty. Serve immediately.