Penne with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

If you are in search of a easy pasta dish for that dinner party or summer outing this is a great recepe for you. But for everyone else in search of a quick dinner on a weeknight, This one’s for you.

Penne with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
This recipe changes for us based on what kind of night it is. If you have some time, I advise slow-cooking the tomatoes for an hour and a half at 300°F. This results in blistered, concentrated tomatoes that fall apart beautifully when mixed into the pasta. If it’s a weeknight and you only have 30 minutes or so, proceed as directed.

1 16-ounce container of grape tomatoes (or however many you’ve got)

1 small onion, chopped roughly (ok, I admit, a little skill involved here, but minimal!)

4 tablespoons olive oil

a shake of red pepper flakes (optional)

salt & pepper

a sprig of thyme, leaves removed (optional)

1 pound penne pasta (I like the ridged kind, penne rigate, or orecchiette)

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Preheat oven to 350°F. Dump tomatoes and onions on a baking sheet lined with foil. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, thyme leaves and toss with your fingers or a spoon. (Do this gently so you don’t rip the foil.) Bake for 25-30 minutes until tomatoes look shrivelly and brown but not burnt.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. When draining, reserve a ¼ cup of pasta water. Place pasta pot back on burner over low heat and add butter and remaining olive oil.

Add penne back to the pot and toss with tomato-onion mixture and cheese. If it’s looking gloppy or sticky, add a little reserved pasta water to loosen.

Serve with additional grated Parm. If you are feeling indulgent, a dollop of ricotta is gonna be pretty excellent.

Penne with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes