Jump to RecipeSlowly roasted tomatoes and garlic are edible proof that “good things happen to those who wait!”
Sweet, chewy, jammy, savory and bursting little wrinkled morsels of summer that add an unassuming complexity to even the most simplistic of meals. And this recipe for Slow Roasted Tomato and Garlic Fettuccine with Baby Arugula is as about as simple as it gets!
Despite the hours in the oven that the garlic and grape tomatoes spend, this dish really is very minimal in the muss and fuss and comes together in less than 10 minutes! The strategic addition of arugula adds enough vegetables where it’s a complete meal on its own. Slow roasted garlic and tomatoes are invited to have a pasta playdate with me and my family ANYTIME!
Hmmm.. 3 hours?? Too long!
To make you simply drizzle small tomatoes (grape or cherry) with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then place in an oven set to 250 degrees. Walk away, do your thing… and I’m sure there is plenty of other things you have to do! When you return they will look as if they got sent 50 years into the future, garlic golden brown, tomatoes shrunken and wrinkled. It’s pretty much the only time that the look of wrinkles will be pleasing to you!
Now halving the tomatoes is defiantly a viable option here as well. In this case, they won’t have the same amount of POP or moisture left in them, it will be a little deeper in tomato flavor- very reminiscent of a sun-dried tomato- but JUICIER!
I chose not to slice in this case because (A) I was been lazy and (B) I wanted a pop of juice with my pasta bites. But – by all means, try it the other way too!
Halved slow-roasted tomatoes lend particularly well to sandwiches, salads, crostini appetizers or just popping in your mouth and snacking! And change the flavor profile by switching your acid, sweetener, spices, and herbs combinations.
Other examples might include:
Fennel, lemon, honey, and white pepper.
Oregano, thyme, dried basil, sugar, balsamic, and garlic
Maple syrup, cayenne pepper, apple cider vinegar
Balsamic vinegar and mustard powder
The possibilities are limitless! If you see tomatoes on sale this summer, or if your plants are yielding a large bounty- slow-roasting them and storing in an airtight container in your fridge is a BOSS move that will add so much flavor to a number of different dishes for at least a week! They are freezer friendly as well!
Fettuccine with Slow Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic and Arugula
Ingredients
- 2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes whole or sliced
- 4 cloves garlic peel and whole
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil divided
- ½ tsp salt plus some to taste
- ¼ tsp pepper plus some to taste
- 12 oz Fettuccine good quality
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
- 12 oz baby arugula chopped
- ¼ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°
- Rinse and pat dry tomatoes, place in baking dish or sheet pan with garlic cloves, 1½ tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Add fresh thyme sprigs or rosemary if desired .
- Roast low and slow for 3 hours. Garlic should be golden and tomatoes skins should be wrinkled.
- Remove from oven and discard any roasted herb sprigs if used.
- Boil Fettuccine according to package directions. Air on the side of al dente (always!)
- Add chopped arugula to quickly wilt during last 1 minute of boiling pasta.
- Before draining reserve at least ¼ cup of pasta water and set aside
- Using colander, drain pasta and arugula. Return pot to stovetop over low-medium heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil and roasted tomatoes and reserved pasta water.
- Combine Fettuccine, arugula and desired grated cheese with the tomatoes in the pot.
- Toss to combine. Add salt, pepper and more grated cheese to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
If you like this recipe try my EASY “STUFFED” ARTICHOKES or KALE PESTO WITH ARUGULA TOMATOES AND HONEY LEMON RICOTTA
