Pasta with Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs

I made this summery pasta last week. The recipe is based on one that was featured in the newsletter from The Splendid Table a few weeks ago. It was a great way to utilize some of the fresh herbs that are now growing in my garden!



The smell from the garlicky tomatoes as they roasted was amazing! (Sorry, didn't get a good picture.) I think this mixture would be yummy just spread on bread for an appetizer. The bread crumbs and parmesan cheese made an interesting crunch that was just a little different from the way I usually make roasted vegetables.

I found this garlic olive oil at Trader Joe's in the new product section. It seemed to work perfectly with this recipe.



Pasta with Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs

1 package grape tomatoes - rinsed and cut in half
4 - 8 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (the recipe called for fresh bread crumbs)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
8 ounces penne pasta (I used whole wheat)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup freshly chopped herbs (I used basil, oregano, and parsley)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (could omit, but added a nice little kick)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and garlic in a baking dish and mix.

2. Mix the panko, parmesan, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Spoon over top of the tomato mixture. Drizzle with the olive oil.

3. Roast the tomatoes for 30 - 40 minutes. The mixture will be bubbling and slightly browned.

4. During the last 10 minutes of roasting, cook the pasta in salted water. Drain.

5. Combine the pasta, fresh herbs, and tomato mixture. Tastes best if eaten immediately!

Note: I added a bit of smoked salmon to the pasta. I think grilled chicken would also taste great!