Roasted Tomato Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta

Sometimes I have a craving but am too lazy to make the thing. This is the product of one of those times. The thing I wanted? Stuffed shells. The thing I didn’t want to do? Mix, scoop and stuff. Truthfully, I also didn’t want to do all the dishes I figured I’d use trying to make it. So, instead I took all of the same components and tried to make a deconstructed version. Roasted cherry tomatoes form the base of our sauce, while spinach and ricotta get added in at the end and tossed throughout. I went with medium-shells for an easier bite, and the whole thing is delicious. You get all the same flavours in a fraction of the time with no fuss.

Roasted Tomato Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes about 600g
• 3 shallots
• 10 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• ½ tbsp whole fennel seeds
• 400 g medium or small shell pasta
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup ricotta
• 2 large handfuls of spinach
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• olive oil
• salt I’m using Diamond Crystal
• cracked black pepper

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Thinly slice 3 shallots and peel and slice 10 cloves garlic.
2. To a large dutch oven, add 600g cherry tomatoes, sliced shallots and garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp chili flakes, 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds, ½ tsp salt and a few cracks black pepper. Toss to evenly coat, then transfer to oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and bursting.
3. While that roasts, bring a large pot of salty water to boil. It should be salty like the ocean! Cook pasta to al dente by following package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before straining. Coat your pasta in a little olive oil while you finish making the sauce to prevent it from becoming a giant clump (IYKYK)!
4. By now, your kitchen should smell like a beautiful concoction of tomatoes, onions and garlic. Remove the dutch oven and carefully mash everything together with a potato masher, or large spoon, until it forms a thick, jammy sauce. Add 2 large handfuls of spinach, 1 cup ricotta and 1/2 cup grated parmesan, and mix until the spinach is wilted. Season with a pinch of salt and more black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Add your pasta followed by 2 tbsp butter and ¼ cup reserved pasta water, stir until the butter has melted. Add more pasta water and continue stirring until your pasta is evenly coated and the sauce is glossy, you might not need all of the reserved water. Serve with more black pepper and maybe more parmesan, if you wish!