Roasted Tomato + Ricotta Pasta
This week started off…..stressful. And this time last weekend I was lost in my own worries + anxiety of tackling some work stress head on, but as I’m reflectting on the past week I’m thankful that I’m ending the week on a much happier note. Jordan has been gone for the past 5 days, and I usually start to get a little stir crazy when I’m on my own this long. This week I kept myself busy by spending some really nice time with my in-laws, and helping with some babysitting duties of the littles in the family. My mother in law titled our babysitting perfectly - “4 kids + a dog in diapers.” It’s exactly what we had on our hands, but honestly - so much fun. I get a lot of enjoyment being around the little kids. They’re all at the age where they’re busy, they want to play, & they get super excited about cute little kid things - the world virtually stopped when I played the baby shark at breakfast. They are just so sweet, and the thing I want to remember most about my first time helping babysit is how joyful they were - the intense energy running around the park, the sweet excitement when you walk in, their little runs just chasing after each other. It’s just a sweet image to hold onto. The 2 oldest [Taylor + Christopher] are at the age where they can pal around together, and they’re pretty entertaining to just watch hanging with each other. I can’t help but wonder if my parents would have de-ja-vu watching them run around and if it would be highly similar to what I did with my cousins. These two boys go from loving each other and having a ball to open hand slaps in the face [us adults all played disciplinarian at one point or another this weekend]. I mean……those toddlers can be temper-mental. And those are the memories I have with my cousins - going from playing & loving each other to wanting to rip each others heads off. Normal kid stuff, you know? Point being time with the kids was fun + I’m excited to get some more time with these little cuties under my belt, and seeing how their personalities + relationships with each other grow.
I did have the evenings to myself, and it was my time to enjoy some yummy meals, a couple good flicks, and just have a little date-night with my little boys [Bear + Walter], which I always enjoy. So it was fun family time during the day + a little rest and relaxation at night, and I’m feeling pretty thankful for the weekend I’ve had.
Last night’s theme - pasta + chill. I made a Roasted Tomato + Ricotta Pasta that was inspired by my love for a warm + rich pasta on my solo nights in and the fact that my mother-in-law gifted me with a ton of herbs from her garden, and had myself one carb-y night at home. And I feel fucking great about that decision! It was just a warm, home-y bowl of good pasta. Some good quality pasta [thank you, mom!], a perfectly creamy tomato sauce, a nice basil + parmesan bite. I give it a 10/10 for quick and easy pasta dishes, and I’m pretty sure I won’t stand a chance with these leftovers once Jordan gets home.
Sauce boss
The sauce is king in this pasta, and straight up blending roasted veggies with ricotta to make a creamy (and easy sauce) is my new jam! So freaking easy and pretty ingenius to get a creamy + cheesy sauce, which I always love, and it’s honestly fool proof.
I love love LOVE a creamy pasta sauce, and I’m queen of adding a dash of heavy cream to so many pastas just for that little added dose of richness (because it tastes so good always!), but working with ricotta + roasted veggies + my food processor was so simple and easy. The sauce had all the umami and savory notes of roasted tomatoes, and just whipped up with the ricotta + garlic made for a creamy + velvety sauce. A dreamy consistency that just coated the pasta and made it super flavorful, and it blended so well. No risk of any weird separating, which has been a thing for me in the past.
Heavy on the herbs - thyme + basil specifically
My mother-in-law loaded me up with fresh herbs from her garden, and I was ready to put them to use!
I used the thyme of roast with all the tomatoes + garlic, and then it got blended into the pasta sauce. And then a heap of fresh, thinly sliced basil stirred into the pasta as a final touch. Normally I go the route of adding some arugula to pasta, but all the herbs kind of took the pasta to the level of freshness that I like.
One pan + one pot
I truly appreciate a no mess meal. As much as I LOVE taking on a kitchen project, sometimes I do want to go to bed with the peace of mind that I don’t have an array of dishes awaiting my attention the moment I wake up in the morning. This round of my night in, I wanted easy clean-up. And I still got an awesome bowl of pasta out of the deal, so it was great. One pan to roast all my essentials, and one pot for the noodle prep + final touches.
One of my favorite indulgences on a night at home where I’m living the bachelorette life is a warm bowl of pasta, a glass of wine, and a movie I’m genuinely excited to watch. Last night’s choice - Meet the Ricardos. I was just highly looking forward to a late night dinner where I could get cozy on the couch and dive into the movie and a bottle of a new WA wine I was excited to try, and this creamy pasta was the ideal choice. An enjoyable night in for just me the dogs, and I’m glad I had that time to re-charge and enjoy myself.
For the sauce
3 heaping cups of cherry tomatoes
10 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tbsp EVOO
3 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
Salt + pepper
6 slices of prosciutto
1/2 c. ricotta
pinch of red pepper flakes
Dried pasta (any kind works, but a spiral or tube pasta would be the best)
1/2 c. parmesan
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
Preheat the oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with foil. Lay the tomatoes, garlic + thyme on the baking sheet, drizzle with EVOO and a pinch salt + pepper, and toss. Lay the prosciutto slices right on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool for 15-20 minutes on the hot baking tray.
Remove the prosciuttto to cool on a separate cutting board. Finely chop once cooled + crunchy.
When the tomatoes have cooled slightly, add about 2/3 of them and their juices to the food processor with the ricotta. Add in a small pinch of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth.
Cook the pasta to al dente. Drain but reserve 1/2 c of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta and the sauce to the same pot used to cook the pasta, and add in about half of the reserved cooking liquid - adding in more if you want to thin the consistency. Heat over medium low heat, stirring so the sauce coats all of the pasta. Stir in the remaining cherry tomatoes, reserved prosciutto, basil + parmesan. Stir these items in gently, and continue to mix until evenly distributed.
Dish up into slightly warmed bowls, and finish with a little extra pinch of basil + parmesan