Pasta with Roasted Sungolds and Romano Cheese

Photo credit: Mixed Greens Blog

I go bananas for tomatoes this time of year so I make a lot of favorite recipes and try a lot of new ones. I made this recipe up the other night and loved it. I've already made it a second time because it was so good.

Tomatoes take about 3 hours to cook so I usually prep them in the morning or the day before. If making a day ahead, sprinkle with a bit of olive oil and store covered in the fridge.

Regarding breadcrumbs:
I make breadcrumbs from fresh loaves or baguettes once they lose their freshness and are going stale. Cut up and throw in a Cuisinart food processor to bread up into crumbs, then stick in the freezer until you need them. Toast in a touch of olive oil on medium-high heat.

Pasta with Roasted Sungolds and Romano Cheese

1lb spaghetti noodles (I used Molino e Pastificio from Delaurenti and loved it)
1 container of sungold tomatoes
1/2 - 1 container of mixed cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
4-6 garlic cloves, sliced paper thin
Fresh basil, minced
Flat leaf Italian parsley, minced
1 cup good Pecorino Romano cheese (I bought Fulvi Pecorino Romano from Delaurenti)
Breadcrumbs, toasted
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 225.

Cut tomatoes in half, then toss with olive oil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay tomatoes out, cut side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. You can throw a few unpeeled garlic cloves on the cookie sheet as well but not necessary. Cook for roughly 2.5-3 hours. You want the tomatoes to be mostly dried out. It's okay if a few are still juicy but most should be on the crispy side. Remove and transfer to a plate.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Heat olive oil and garlic in a large pan or braiser on medium heat, stirring regularly. When it starts to sizzle, keep a close eye on it. You want it to sizzle but not brown. Right before it starts to brown, toss roasted tomatoes into the pan and sprinkle with basil and parsley. Reduce heat and stir regularly so garlic never burns.

Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water, then cook the pasta noodles until al dente. Scoop out noodles with a spaghetti ladle and transfer directly to the pan with tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and toss quickly. Sprinkle with pepper and more basil. Check for seasoning. Add more cheese if necessary. Plate pasta and sprinkle each serving with toasted breadcrumbs.