I’ve been sitting on this post for awhile, not quite knowing what to do with it. Though it’s really a quite simple dish, it’s not exactly ground-breaking. But I decided to go ahead and post it because it’s quick, easy, healthy, and it’s a good use of ingredients that are often leftovers or pantry staples.
It’s a perfect combo for nights when you’re too busy to put something more complicated together. Or when you’re not actually too busy, you’re just diving into to other, more distracting, things. Like this. Or this.
About two weeks ago, I read an article in the New York Times about prolific authors (and those with decades-long gaps between books) that said this:
“…there’s something to be said for what might be called the Woody Allen Method: Good times, bad times, you keep making art. Many of your productions will hit; some will miss; some will miss by a lot. But there’s no time for the flatulent gas of pretension to seep into your construction’s sheetrock.”
So, granted, one doesn’t often think “flatulent gas” and tempting recipes often go well together, but the quote prompted me to return to this post again. It’s a very good example of how not every recipe or every dinner needs to be an elaborate, time-consuming production. But this one is worth posting because it’s worth making.
If fresh tomatoes aren’t on hand anymore, roasting canned whole tomatoes would be a good substitute.
Spaghetti with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto
Ingredients
1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti noodles
1/2 pint fresh cherry tomatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons of homemade or jarred pesto (or more to taste)
Salt + pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Steps
1) Heat the oven to 350-degrees. Halve the cherry tomatoes and arrange on a baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until heated and the ends are curling slightly.
2) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Sprinkle in about 1 teaspoon of salt, then add the spaghetti noodles. Cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot or another serving bowl.
3) Toss the pasta with the pesto. Add the roasted tomatoes and their juices + oil and combine. Season with pepper and top with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
