Roasted Heirloom Tomato Pasta

I have a problem with tomato sauce.

I'm not quite sure what it is, but I have not found any kind of tomato or marinara sauce that I like.  Everyone, including myself, finds this extremely strange because I am in love with tomatoes, and I have no problem with all of the other ingredients that are included in tomato sauce, I just don't like it.  Sure I can tolerate it, but it's really just not that good.  I have desperately tried and tried to acquire a taste for it.  Whenever we go to italian restaurants I try a dish with red sauce.  The hubby always tells me that I will not like it, but I continue to try and am always disappointed.  The only dishes that contain a "tomato sauce" that I actually do like (not just tolerate, but actually crave), is the sauces that are simply chunks of tomato chopped up and just tossed with olive oil or balsamic vinegar and basil, etc. (like this recipe here, which is a favorite).

This recipe is another tomato-sauce-ish pasta dish that I love.  

                                 

                            

I had some mini heirloom tomatoes that were starting to get soft and shriveled.  They looked like little prunes.  So instead of throw the little guys out, I made them into this delicious sauce.  I love all the colors!

Next I roasted them all, mixed with some cheese, basil, olive oil and breadcrumbs.  Then tossed them with some really good garlic-basil pasta (Trader Joe's!).

It was gone quite quickly.

Roasted mini heirloom tomato sauce.
from me!


Olive oil
mini heirloom tomatoes (cherry or grape would also be fine i suppose)
mozzarella cheese (Pecorino Romano and Parmesan freshly grated would be better, I just did not have any)
breadcrumbs
red chili flakes
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
fresh basil leaves, chopped
pasta of your choice, cooked and drained

preheat oven to 400.  half tomatoes and place in a dish (cut side up).  Mix up the garlic, breadcrumbs and cheese.  sprinkle this all over the tomatoes.  season with salt and pepper, and chili flakes (remove this if you don't like any heat).  drizzle with plenty of olive oil.

bake 20 mins, until the everything starts to brown a little bit.

Add to pasta, add the basil and eat!