Pasta al Pomadoro

This is so simple and so delicious. When tomatoes aren't quite at the best, slow roasting them brings out there naturally sweetness. Folded through pasta with garlic and basil, is one of my favourite ways to enjoy them. Simple pleasures.

SERVES:
4

Ingredients
Instructions

Ingredients

1.2 kg fresh tomatoes I like to use a plum on the vine variety but any are fine.

8 cloves of garlic kept whole in the skin, and bashed

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Small bunch fresh basil

500g linguine or pasta of choice

Vegan parmesan

Pine nut crumb (optional)

½ cup toasted pine nuts

½ breadcrumbs toasted in a pan

1 tbs spoon chopped flat leaf parsley

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Pre heat the oven to 160°C
Cut the tomatoes in half and place in a baking tray with the garlic, drizzle with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until the tomatoes are cooked through and starting to shrink a little. Do not overcook and let them dry out. It depends on the size you use as to how long they need to roast. If you notice they are catching and charring too much, reduce the heat of the oven.
When you're ready to serve bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add your pasta. Cook to the packets instructions, and take a minute off, for al dente.
Remove the tomatoes from the oven and locate all garlic cloves, remove the skins and squish the flesh with the back of a folk.
Combine the toasted pine nuts, breadcrumbs, flat leaf pasrsley, oil and season with salt and pepper, set aside.
When the pasta is ready drain, but make sure you reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan.
Add the tomatoes and all the pan juices to pasta and stir to combine, fold through some chopped fresh basil and serve immediately. Top with extra basil leaves, a sprinkle of pine nut crumb and vegan Parmesan.