Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Creamy Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce

Seasonal and fresh as can be, this silky, creamy, slow-roasted tomato sauce does not contain any cream!  All you need to create this luscious sauce is 2 pounds or so of cherry tomatoes, olive oil, fresh basil, oregano, and garlic.  My sauce has a golden hue due to the combination of yellow and red cherry tomatoes. I used Sun Gold (yellow) and Sweet Million (red) cherry tomatoes because they are the most plentiful in my garden right now but any kind of tomato will work in this slow-roasted recipe. 


If you don't have a garden, the next best thing is to visit a local farmers' market for freshly picked tomatoes.  Many grocery stores stock locally grown tomatoes too.  I love walking in my garden in the morning to see what is ripe for picking.  I grow poblano peppers, little cucumbers (See my Mom's Refrigerator Pickle recipe here), cherry tomatoes, big heirloom tomatoes which are just starting to ripen, plus lots of herbs such as basil, parsley, oregano, marjoram, tarragon and a few varieties of thyme.  


Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and put them on a baking sheet.  Cover them with plenty of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, sliced garlic and lots of fresh basil and oregano and pop them in a 250 F preheated oven for about 3 hours.  No tossing or turning, just let them roast away.  


When you pull them out of the oven they will be soft and intensely flavorful!  Wait a few minutes to allow the tomatoes to cool a bit, then scoop the tomatoes, herbs and garlic out of the olive oil with a slotted spoon and place half of them into a saucepan. Place the other half of the roasted tomatoes in a tall measuring bowl and blend with an immersion blender (or regular blender) until almost smooth then add them to the other tomatoes in the saucepan.  Stir in 1 generous tablespoon of butter and heat gently while you prepare the pasta.  Be sure to strain and save some of the oil from the baking sheet for bread dipping! 


Add the sauce to your cooked pasta, toss gently and enjoy! So easy and the freshest-tasting pasta sauce you will ever make.  

Notes:  
  • If you use larger tomatoes, scoop out as many seeds as you can before roasting.  Cut into even pieces.  
  • Adding 1 chopped onion is optional
  • Strain and save the oil from the roasting pan to use as a dip for crusty bread
  • These slow-roasted tomatoes can also be used as a topping for bruschetta along with some burrata cheese. 

Creamy Cherry Tomato Pasta

This makes approximately 4 side-dish servings of pasta


2 pounds (I used a little more) cherry tomatoes, sliced in half 
8-10 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
8-10 fresh oregano leaves, chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced very thin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter (reserved for reheating the sauce) 

1 pound dried pasta of your choice

Freshly chopped Italian parsley for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Arranged cut tomatoes on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the sugar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.  Scatter sliced garlic and herbs over the tomatoes. 
Drizzle all over with olive oil .  

Roast, uncovered until tomatoes are very tender, about 2-1/2 to 3 hours. 

Transfer with a slotted spoon to a saucepan.  (Don't throw out the oil.  Strain it and use it for dipping crusty bread.)

Remove about half of the tomatoes, together with herbs and garlic, and place in a deep mixing bowl and blend with an immersion blender (or use a regular blender) until just barely smooth.  Return to the saucepan.  

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the sauce and heat gently while you prepare the pasta.  I used Campanelle pasta but use any pasta you wish and prepare as directed on the package.

Drain cooked pasta and place in a serving bowl.  Add the tomato sauce, toss gently, top with some freshly chopped Italian parsley and enjoy! 







34 comments:

  1. This is a new one!Susan you are way ahead of me tomato crop!!!Gorgeous🥰!

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    1. It's been a strange summer for tomatoes. Too dry, too hot, blossom end rot, leaves curling and now mine are being drowned by heavy rains. The cherry tomatoes have been the champions so far! Thank you, M!

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  2. Your garden veggies are beautiful! No doubt the sauce is amazing-enjoy:@)

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    1. One of the joys of summer! I love checking on my plants each morning to see what's ready for picking :) Thank you, Lynn!

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  3. That looks amazing Susan! I'll be picking cherry tomatoes on Monday at the farm, and after popping several in my mouth, I may have enough to make this.

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    1. They're so good fresh of the vine! The pasta sauce was so good, I could barely keep from eating it all myself while I was taking the pics - LOL. Thank you, Debbie!

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  4. It looks amazingly delicious. I will have to find some cherry tomatoes at the farm stand.

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  5. From your own garden to the table...the pasta must have tasted amazingly fresh, delicious and loaded with seasonal flavours.

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    1. I love having my own little Farm to Table recipes! I love to inspect my crops each morning - LOL. Thank you, Angie!

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  6. This sounds so easy and fabulous, Susan! I’d love to try it. I wish I could see your garden. ❤️

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    1. It is so easy and good, Kitty! Especially if you enjoy pasta with tomato sauce. So fresh! I wish you could come for tea and take a tour. ♥

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  7. I would have fresh cherry tomatoes to use up in a few days from my garden–and I’m so glad I saw this recipe! Will be trying it soon.

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    1. I have so many cherry tomatoes right now and it's a delicious way to use them! Thanks so much!

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  8. Yum! Sun Golds are my favorite! Although my harvest ended last month I'll make this with grocery store cherry tomatoes. Roasting makes everything taste good.

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    1. They are mine too! You're right about how roasting brings out so much flavor. Thank you, Cindy!

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  9. Love love love this recipe!! What a great way to use up some of those tomatoes! And your recipe looks and sounds so delicious- it’s making us hungry!
    Going to make this this weekend!
    Thanks Susan!

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  10. I’ve got about 2 million cherry tomatoes that will ripen at the same time! Great recipe idea.

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    1. That's kind of how I feel too :) I'm going to try freezing some of the strained roasted tomatoes before blending to keep the pasta going through fall and winter! Thank you, Mimi!

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  11. I think this looks delicious and must try!

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  12. I grew Sun Gold and Sweet 100s in my New England garden and often made a sauce like this. I can remember that intense sweetness the tomatoes gave to the pasta, I know yours was delicious.

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  13. What a delightful memory of your NE garden, Karen!

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  14. I am back to report that I made this sauce and it's now my favorite summer sauce recipe. I used mostly Sun Gold tomatoes. Very intense sweetness!

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  15. Dear Susan this looks and sounds absolutely delicious, I love all with tomatoes!
    Hugs for you dear

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  16. Love the photo of all the fresh produce! And the pasta looks wonderful. Another winner, Susan.
    Amalia
    xo

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  17. I stumbled upon this post too late. I have already eaten all my cherry tomatoes, addicted to them as I am. I didn’t have as many this year as I did last year because some joker at Lowe’s mislabeled the plants, and when I thought I was buying a cherry tomato plant, I really ended up with a Roma tomato plant. Not that I’m complaining, but I really do love cherry tomatoes. Next year! This really looks fresh and delicious.

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  18. This roasted cherry tomato sauce looks fantastic, Susan! Your pictures are fantastic too! :)

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  19. Susan, this simple, yet bursting with fresh tomato flavor recipe is the way my nonna and mother prepared summer pasta. You've brought back many happy memories of food and family. I can imagine how delicious yours is.
    Hope that you're doing well!
    xo
    Roz

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  20. Such a lovely pasta dish, Susan, and wonderful flavors. A must make dish for dinner!

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  21. This pasta looks wonderful. I look forward to trying the recipe.

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  22. You had me salivating at the flavours of this sauce. So good!

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