Slow Cooked Tomatoes with Lemon & Ricotta Pasta

The easiest 'low-effort-max-flavour' dinner. The perfect WEEKEND FOOD!

There is not much to say really, it's one of MY FAVOURITE suppers to make and eat, in fact I made this last night and these are the pics!

Organic (the last of the season) tomatoes are (really) slowly cooked in organic new season extra virgin olive oil with lemons, garlic and lovely lemon verbena (the last in my garden) & tossed with pasta

The pasta sauce tastes as if I have been slaving away in the kitchen for hours but in reality it really only takes 5 minutes to prep and the oven does does all the work.

WHATS NOT TO LOVE?

Simplicity needs VERY good ingredients

A very good extra-virgin olive oil  - I am a little obsessed with olive oil and it is really my no1 ingredient in my kitchen. If you are lucky enough, the last of the summer tomatoes will coincide with the first press of NEW SEASON OLIVE OIL in Autumn, such a treat. I love the Marais family's oil and their new season olive oil is stunning. You can order some here.

The better the tomatoes the better the sauce - I REALLY take my tomatoes seriously and there is actually not really any point in buying supermarket tomatoes that are grown in hothouses and artificially ripened. I get my seasonal tomatoes from Oranjezicht Farmer Market, Wild Organics or Those Who Harvest. (and yes I do buy tomatoes in winter, but because they are inferior in taste (sour), I prefer to cook them for sweetness rather than eat them raw).

Ricotta can be as bland as nothing so I try to source something homemade and preferably from happy pasture reared cows - I love Maria’s but its hard to find, if possible aim for anything Italian (my local Vredehoek SPAR stock PUGLIA cheese).

I am a self confessed dry pasta critic - it’s such an inexpensive snobbery that I feel we should all expect nothing but the best, I love RUMMO! My husband can’t have any gluten and pasta is one of my daughters favourite food, so you can see the issue!

SO after testing many (many) gluten-free pasta brands, RUMMO once again prevails (not the chickpea one but this one), thankfully most major supermarkets stock rummo, even PnP.

The SAUCE!

The tomatoes alone makes a great sauce and I am thinking of ways to eat it!

• with eggs and greens (and my chilli oil)

• with smashed avocado on FAB BREAD, from arguably one of the best artisan bakers I know! (weekly collection!)

• with my whipped goats cheese (recipe) on, you guessed it, MORE FAB BREAD - I love wholegrain sourdough or artisan pumpernickel style bread from my nearly ‘naamgenoot’ ADRI. (weekly delivery!)

“Simple seasonal and organic ingredients at its best!”

Additions: You can easily add 200g washed English spinach to the dish, simply swirl through the oil before baking for the last 10 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg cherry tomatoes

• 300 ml very good extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 bulb garlic halved

• 1 organic lemon quartered

• 3 sprigs lemon verbena or rosemary

• 1 tablespoon good salt

• 150 g good quality ricotta milk

• 400 g pasta of choice I used GF

• mint and dill to serve chopped

• sea salt & pepper

• (feta & parmesan to serve, why not? I don't think there is anything like ‘too much cheese’)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 150c.

2. Add the tomatoes, garlic, salt, oil and lemon to a large rimmed baking tin, mix well and roast in the oven for 1 hours, the tomatoes should be easily 'squashable', slightly oozy and the lemon should be soft, if not pop it back into the oven.

3. Increase the heat to 180c. With a fork, lightly crush the tomatoes and garlic and remove the skins from the garlic and discard. Mash the lemon flesh and discard the skins (or eat them - they are great). Remove the lemon verbena sprigs.

4. Add the ricotta in the middle of the tin, drizzle with the pan juices, season and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Press the ricotta down with a fork and mix into the lovely oil. If adding any greens add theses, swirl through the mixture and roast for the last 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile cook the pasta in simmering salted water until al dente and drain.

6. Add the pasta to the tomatoes and ricotta mixture and swirl well to cover the pasta with the oil, ricotta and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and the fresh herbs (and more cheese!) Enjoy!

xxx Adré