OoooooOOOOOOOOOOoooooo honey child. Come here.
This is the winteriest of winter meals. Rustic. Savory. Rich. Tangy. It’s slow-day perfection and we’re (you’re) going to rearrange a couple of things this weekend to make it happen. Roger that? Roger that.
Let us peepeth.
Slow-roasted tomatoes are up there for me and blissful life happenings. That and silky hair but I’ll take one out of two.
It’s a simple ordeal. But pleasureful. Most is hands off, but you’re simultaneously rewarded with fragrances on the tantalize odometer of absurdity. It smells fantastic.
And vegetarian, for those looking to ease in more meat-free options. (well there’s chicken stock in it but ya know. Swap it out.)
We’ll half five medium vine tomatoes and place them on a baking sheet, cut-side up. A bit of garlic, a bit of salt, a bit of dried Italian seasoning, and a hefty glug of oil. Into a 300 degree oven it goes for two to three hours. You can even pop it down to 250 and go three and a half. Anything goes.
I will say, keep the garlic skin on to avoid burning. I forgot so I yoinked the garlic out before the tomatoes. Easy fix.
Hello frickin’ DOLLY. She’s good now, but we’re about to make here even better. And you can do this two ways.
Oh! A note on the anchovy paste. It’s not mandatory, but it just adds a nice depth. A good salty element to it. If you have a tin of good anchovies in the pantry, use two and get them nice and dissolved. It’s not a deal breaker, just an enhancement. And we’re all about it.
You can use an immersion blender right in the pot to get it good and silky. OR, a food processor (or blender) works as well. If you use the blender, tip the tomatoes and garlic into that first and blend until smooth. Then we’ll transfer over and add the stock to thin. It’s all so perfect.
Boil some rigatoni in the meantime and….
Hold me. It’s got so much happening, and we barely did a thing. The richness of the slow-roasted tomatoes is like nothing else. And there’s a depth that is so, so comforting this time of year.
Garnish with parm. Drizzle with olive oil. A grind of freshly cracked pepper. All of it.
Oh! Even some crushed red pepper for those who like a kick of heat in their faces. Get on it.
It’s too good. And so perfect for this winter weekend.
Please make the rest of your life about this.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 5 medium tomatoes
- 6 garlic cloves
- Tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Tbs. Anchovy paste
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Pinch of salt
- Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300.
- Half the tomatoes and place them on a rimmed baking sheet cut side up. Arrange the garlic cloves on the pan. Sprinkle with a good pinch of coarse salt, the Italian seasoning and the oil, making sure the tomatoes are coated in oil. Roast anywhere from 2-3 hours, until the tomatoes are shriveling and have darkened in color. *leave the cloves in their skin so they don’t burn. I took my garlic out a little earlier to avoid that.
- Tip a little of the tomato oil in a sauce pan, and add the anchovy paste. As the paste cooks, press it down a wooden spoon, letting it dissolve. Add the tomatoes and the chicken stock; stir to coat. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. (Alternatively, a food processor works just as well! Process before adding to the pan, then add the stock and stir.)
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve a cup of pasta water, then drain the rest.
- Add the rigatoni to the tomato sauce and stir to coat. Let this marry for a minute or two. Add a little of the pasta water to thin if needed. Divide among bowls and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and maybe a drizzle of your best olive oil.
- Serve immediately!
- Serves 4.
A sure-fire way to woo every single face in your vicinity. Promzee.
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