Creamy Tuscan Slow Roasted Tomato Pasta
A comforting pasta dish featuring slow-roasted tomatoes and a creamy sauce, perfect for a cozy dinner or special gatherings.
Ingredients
For the Slow Roasted Tomatoes
- 2-3 cups baby tomatoes Cut in half for roasting
- 3 tbsp oil For drizzling on tomatoes
- to taste salt For seasoning
- to taste black pepper For seasoning
For the Sauce
- 1/2 each red onion Chopped
- 1 tbsp minced garlic Fresh
- 1 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes Chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 cups chicken broth Can substitute with vegetable broth
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
For Pasta and Garnish
- 1 box pasta Fettuccine or penne recommended
- 1 box spinach Fresh
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese Grated for garnish
- 1/4 each lemon juice Freshly squeezed
- to taste fresh basil For garnish
Instructions
Prepare Slow Roasted Tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Cut 2-3 cups of baby tomatoes in half and arrange them cut side up on a lightly oiled baking tray. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper, then roast for 2–3 hours until they are jammy and soft.
Make the Sauce
- Chop the red onion, mince the garlic, and finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Heat sun-dried tomato oil in a large pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the chopped red onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Stir in minced garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and red pepper flakes, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring often.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth and heavy cream until smooth. Season with oregano, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt.
- Let the sauce simmer on medium heat for 5–10 minutes until it deepens in color and thickens slightly.
Cook Pasta and Combine
- Cook your pasta according to package instructions, but drain it about 1 minute before it reaches al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Add spinach, the slow roasted tomatoes, and a squeeze of lemon juice to the sauce along with the al dente pasta and a splash of pasta water.
- Simmer together on medium heat for 2–3 minutes until the pasta is cooked perfectly and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the grated Pecorino Romano and fresh basil.
- If needed, slowly stream in reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and make it extra creamy.
Notes
Serve with a light green salad and a crisp white wine. Leftover pasta can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat slowly with cream or pasta water.