Description
Indulge in the comforting flavors of Baked Ricotta & Garlic Tomato Pasta, a dish that combines creamy ricotta with rich, roasted tomatoes and aromatic garlic. Perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner, this recipe is both simple and gourmet.
Ingredients
- Ricotta Cheese
- Fresh cherry or grape tomatoes
- Minced garlic
- Olive Oil
- Pasta (penne, rigatoni, orecchiette, or gluten-free option)
- Fresh Basil
- Parmesan Cheese (or Pecorino Romano)
- Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Get a large, oven-safe baking dish and prepare the tomato and garlic base by halving fresh cherry or grape tomatoes or pouring canned tomatoes into the dish. Add minced garlic, olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat.
- Dollop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese into the tomato mixture in the baking dish. You can leave them as distinct dollops or gently swirl some into the tomatoes. Drizzle more olive oil and sprinkle a bit more salt and pepper over the ricotta.
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and bursting, and the ricotta is warm and slightly golden.
- While the tomatoes and ricotta are baking, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add your chosen pasta and cook until al dente, reserving about 1 to 1 ½ cups of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.
- Once the baking dish is out of the oven, gently break up larger tomato pieces and stir the baked ricotta and tomatoes together to create a creamy sauce.
- Add the drained pasta directly into the baking dish with the tomato and ricotta mixture. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach a creamy consistency.
- Stir in fresh basil leaves, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve immediately, garnished with more basil and grated cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
Keywords: Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor. Reserve pasta water for a silky sauce, and don't overbake the ricotta to keep it creamy. For added sweetness, consider a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes are too acidic.