orecchiette with oven roasted cherry tomatoes and green beans

roasted tomatoes are the MVP of vegetables you can make in advance and enjoy for days. they are also incredibly versatile. they’re great with fish, on a hearty sandwich, or even on top of a roasted sweet potato. and, especially when made a day or two ahead, they make a badass quick tomato sauce when combined with a little garlic, onions, herbs, and whatever greens you have on hand. their well-developed umami provides the same richness as a sauce based in tomato paste that’s cooked low and slow. I use green beans and “little ear” pasta in my version.

WHAT YOU NEED

1 12oz container of cherry tomatoes (a little less or more will do just fine too)

1/4 pound (4 oz) of fresh green beans, or one really big handful

1 TBSP olive oil

Olive oil spray or Avocado oil spray

1/2 red onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 LB of orechiette (little ear pasta)- this works well with penne, rigatoni, or fusilli too

1/4 cup of fresh grated pecorino romano (sub in parmesan if needed)

1/4 bunch of parsley, roughly chopped

Flaky sea salt (kosher is good)

Fresh ground pepper to taste

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

HOW TO

STEP 1

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Put a pot of water on high heat to boil for your pasta, adding a hefty pinch of salt.

STEP 2

Lightly coat a sheet pan with an oil spray of your choice. Avocado oil is great because of its high smoke point. Toss your tomatoes on and spray them with your oil spray, adding a pinch of salt and a few turns of your pepper grinder. Shake the pan a few times to ensure the tomatoes are coated and evenly distribute them with tongs or a spatula so they don’t touch too closely. As you’re waiting for the oven to heat, pour 1 TBSP of olive oil into a pan on medium-high heat. Once your oven is ready, put the tomatoes in for 25 - 30 minutes, keeping an eye on them every 10-15 minutes.

STEP 3

Slice the half of a red onion in half again to make two quarters, then flip the cut side down onto your cutting board and work right to left, slicing your onion into thin strips quarter strips or half moons. Remove any prickly ends off of your green beans and then slice them into bite-sized thirds or quarters, cutting them widthwise, not lengthwise.

STEP 4

Once the tomatoes look bubbly and their skins are starting to shrivel, pour 2-3 full glugs of olive oil into your sauté pan on medium to medium-high heat and let it sit while you work through the rest of your prep. Throw the onions in the pan, sprinkle with a hefty pinch of salt with a few turns of your black pepper grinder. Keep an eye on how brown the onions get in the next 5 minutes, turning down the heat if they start to move past caramelization and become a dark, crispy brown on their edges.

STEP 5

While your onions caramelize, crush two cloves of garlic with your knife by placing the blade flat on top of the cloves, the sharp side facing away from you. Use the palm and heel of your hand to press down and crush. Remove the garlic skins, then roughly chop the garlic, mincing if desired. Let your garlic sit for up to 15 minutes before using it - this allows the allicins to be released, which has a number of health benefits and is why we put it in last.

STEP 6

Roughly chop your parsley leaves with their tender stems (the stems closest to the leaves). Put aside 2-3 large pinches of chopped parsley to garnish the pasta with later.

Turning the heat down to medium-low, add your green beans to the pan. Add the chopped parsley once the green beans have been in for a few minutes and have turned a darker shade of green. You’ll know your tomatoes are ready to come out of the oven and go straight into the pan once they have started to slightly brown and their skins have fully wrinkled. After the tomatoes are in the pan add the chopped garlic, stir thoroughly, and lower the heat to a low simmer, stirring occasionally.

STEP 7 (can also be done during step 6)

Add your pasta to the boiling water, cooking for 8-10 minutes, until al dente. If you want to test a piece of pasta to see if it’s ready yet, just run it under cold water first.

STEP 8

Strain the pasta from the water. Mix the pasta and sauce together in the pan (the proper Italian way) until the sauce coats the pasta. Transfer it into your favorite pasta serving bowl(s). Finish with salt and pepper to taste, the grated cheese, and the remaining chopped parsley.