Roasted Tomato Basil Pasta



Ingredients for servings

    for the slow roasted tomatoes

  • 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 0.5 tbsp sugar

  • 1 garlic clove(s), minced

  • 0.5 tsp salt

  • 0.5 tsp pepper

  • 0.5 tsp dried thyme

  • for the basil oil

  • 2 cup(s) tightly packed sweet basil leaves

  • 1 cup(s) olive oil

  • 0.5 tsp salt

  • freshly ground black pepper

  • for the pasta

  • 500 g spaghetti

  • 4 tbsp basil oil

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced optional

  • 0.5 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling

  • 2 pints slow roasted tomatoes

  • freshly shaved parmesan cheese, for garnish

  • a few fresh basil leaves, for topping

Directions

    Slow Roasted Tomatoes

  • Preheat the oven to 150°C degrees & line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • Place the cherry tomatoes on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic, sugar, salt, thyme and toss well. Roast for 1.5 to 2 hours, tossing every 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are super caramely and shriveled and sweet.

  • These keep great in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days if you have extra!

  • Basil Oil

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil to blanch the basil. Prepare a bowl of ice water next to it. Once boiling, add the basil to the pot and cook for 10 seconds. Remove it and immedaitely place it in the ice bath. Leave it in there for a few minutes to make sure it is cold, then remove it and squeeze excess liquid from the leaves. Chop the basil into pieces

  • Place the basil in a high powered blender or food processor. Add the olive oil and salt and puree until the oil is smooth and green. It may be frothy, so let the oil sit for 30 minutes.

  • After 30 minutes, strain it through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove the basil bits. Ues a spoon to push any oil through the sieve.

  • At this point you can use the oil right away or store it in the fridge for a week!

  • Pasta

  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the directions. Once it’s finished, drain the water and place the pasta in a large bowl. Toss immediately with 3 to 4 tbsp of the basil oil or more if you wish and the garlic. Toss in the parmesan cheese.

  • Stir in the tomatoes any extra oil/juice that may be in the pan.

  • Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper if you need it. Toss in some extra cheese and basil leaves.

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