My pasta with roasted cherry tomato sauce is so quick to make because I use a basic shortcut — roasting the tomatoes under the broiler instead of in the oven, until they burst open. The sauce tastes summer-fresh over cooked pasta, along with creamy ricotta cheese and fresh basil.
Preheat the broiler to high, with a rack positioned 6-inches from the heat source.
Bring a large pot (6 quarts) of water to a boil and season with 2 tablespoons salt. Cook the pasta until al dente.
Put 1 pound cherry tomatoes, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt in a large (10 or 12-inch) ovenproof skillet. Place the pan under the broiler and cook until the tomatoes brown and begin to burst, shaking the pan once or twice so they cook evenly, 5-10 minutes depending on the power of your broiler
Remove the pan from the broiler and stir in 2 teaspoons finely sliced garlic, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper and about 10 twists of black pepper. Gently smoosh the tomatoes with the back of a spoon so that they release their juices.
Drain the pasta and toss with sauce. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of ricotta into each serving bowl and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Divide the hot pasta into the bowls and sprinkle with the basil or parsley.
Notes
The sauce will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Try these tomatoes spread on flatbread or pizza, on top of risotto or piled onto warm garlic bread for a delicious appetizer or snack.