Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta

Roasting enhances the flavors of any vegetable, but seems to add a wonderful, rich sweetness when done with cherry tomatoes. This recipe takes that sweetness, complements it with fresh herbs and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes, with some low-fat ricotta to smooth it all out. I topped it with some salty, nutty Pecorino cheese.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 347 Calories

Ingredients

• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 pounds red cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ pound tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup julienned fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 12 ounces whole wheat linguine
• ½ (16 ounce) container low-fat ricotta cheese
• ½ cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano cheese

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Combine all tomatoes, garlic, chicken broth, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a large, glass baking dish; toss to coat.

Step 3

Roast in the middle of the preheated oven, stirring regularly, until tomatoes are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir in basil, parsley, and oregano.

Step 4

When the tomatoes have been roasting for about 35 minutes, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, 5 to 7 minutes (cook for 2 minutes less than package directions.) Drain and return to the pot.

Step 5

Add the roasted tomatoes and herbs to the linguine and cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add ricotta cheese and stir until melted and smooth.

Step 6

Serve topped with Pecorino Romano cheese.