Roasted Cherry Tomato, Garlic & Whipped Ricotta Paccheri

Ingredients

• 0.5 lb paccheri pasta (or other short pasta)
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 0.5 cup garlic cloves (peeled)
• 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt (to taste)
• 1 cup whipped ricotta
• 0.5 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (grated)
• crushed red chili flakes (to taste)
• fresh basil (for garnish)
• pasta water (reserved from boiling, as needed)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large baking dish or sheet pan, combine the 2 pints of cherry tomatoes and 1/2 cup of peeled garlic cloves. Drizzle with 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt.

2. 2

   Roast the tomatoes and garlic in the oven until the tomatoes have burst and are slightly charred and the garlic is soft and golden, approximately 20-25 minutes.

3. 3

   While the vegetables roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the paccheri pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.

4. 4

   Transfer the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and all the oil/juices from the pan into a blender. Blend until smooth to create the sauce base.

5. 5

   Pour the blended tomato sauce into a large skillet or back into the pasta pot over low heat. Stir in 1 cup of whipped ricotta and 1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano until well combined and creamy.

6. 6

   Add the cooked paccheri to the sauce. Toss thoroughly to coat the pasta, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.

7. 7

   Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of crushed red chili flakes.

Notes

If you cannot find pre-whipped ricotta, you can make your own by pulsing whole milk ricotta in a food processor for 1-2 minutes until it is completely smooth and airy.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• vegetarian
• roasted
• spring
• dinner