Spicy Lemony Roasted Tomato Pasta
How to make sad, out-of-season grocery store tomatoes taste amazing.
While peak tomato season has ended, the good news is that store-bought tomatoes can still taste delicious year-’round by roasting them. This simple method makes a world of difference in their flavor, enhancing the natural sweetness and creating a quick sauce for pasta. It’s made even better with the brightness of lemon, some spicy chiles, and lots of Parmesan.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds cherry tomatoes
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound bowtie pasta (or pasta of your choice)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon finely minced Thai bird or other fresh hot chiles (like Serrano peppers) plus more for garnish
- 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- PLUS: Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (1 ½ teaspoons zest, 2–3 tablespoons juice)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle 3 tablespoons of the oil on top, and season with the salt and pepper. Roast, shaking once or twice until the tomatoes burst and some are partially blackened, 18–20 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.
- Once the tomatoes go into the oven, bring a large pot of heavily salted water (it should taste like the ocean) to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain, but before draining, scoop out and reserve about ¾ cup of the pasta water. Don’t rinse the pasta!
- In the pasta pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, then add the garlic and chiles and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and any tomato liquid accumulated on the baking sheet to the garlic along with the Parm, lemon juice, and zest. Add the pasta to the skillet, then stir to combine and warm through, adding up to ¾ cup of the pasta water to achieve the desired saucy consistency, 2–3 minutes. Divide among 4–6 bowls and garnish each bowl with 2 tablespoons pine nuts and some parsley (plus more chiles and cheese, if you like)
Pro tip: Double the tomatoes and after roasting, refrigerate half of them and all of their garlicky, oily juices in a jar for up to two weeks. Add them to sandwiches and salads.
