Wellness Recipe: Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta with Shrimp
Here’s the recipe I prepared today on WLEX-TV’s noon:30 show. I also like tossing the hot roasted tomatoes with thinly sliced collard greens and crisp bacon for a delicious side dish. And this is the link to the video on the LEX website: www.wlextv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7620219&nav=menu203_2_13.
I really like the Barilla brand multi-grain thin spaghetti for this, but you can use any shape. The multi grain ups the protein and it also has added Omega-3, which doesn’t hurt. The flavor and texture is infinitely better than other brands I’ve tried. Besides, Barilla is the pasta of choice of most of my Italian friends (even the ones who live in Italy).
Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta with Shrimp
Cherry tomatoes are great in the off-season as they have a sweet tomato flavor the winter fruits sorely lack. Let them set in a bowl at room temperature until they are fully ripe.
Roasting the little tomatoes intensifies their flavor and is the basis for a great pasta sauce. You can also use the roasted tomatoes to make bruschetta, as a pizza topping, or as a sauce for fish. The best shrimp to buy for your health and the environment is U.S. wild caught shrimp.
Serves 4 to 6
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds red cherry or grape tomatoes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound thin spaghetti (or pasta of your choice)
1 1/2 cups cooked and peeled fresh shrimp
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
4 ounces shaved Parmesan
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and garlic in a large oven-proof skillet over moderate heat. When garlic just starts to sizzle add tomatoes and salt and pepper. Place in oven. Roast tomatoes 20 to 25 minutes until they’re bubbling and collapse with pressed with a fork.
Meanwhile, bring pasta water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a collander and add to skillet with pasta. Crush the tomatoes with a fork as you toss the pasta with the sauce.
Add the shrimp, basil, and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Toss with the Parmesan and serve immediately.
