This recipe couldn’t be easier – the vegetables are roasted together then tossed with cooked pasta right in the roasting pan.  And though I think of it mostly as a summer dish when our garden is overflowing with sweet sungolds, I often turn to this technique mid-winter, when I’m craving the tastes of summer.  It’s astounding what roasting does for a lack-luster, off-season tomato.  Try it next December.

Consider adding other vegetables you have on hand such as summer squash, eggplant or bell pepper.  You can omit the onions if you like, but don’t forgo the garlic—just a little bit add loads of flavor.  During the last few minutes of roasting you could also throw in a few olives or some cooked cannellini beans.  We like to use orzo because it soaks up all the pan juices and becomes creamy, almost risotto-like in consistency, but other pastas work nicely too.  Arugula and basil are equally wonderful, so use what you have—even both.

Serves four

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 pint box cherry tomatoes
• Orzo or pasta of choice, about three-quarters of a pound
• 10-12 large leaves fresh basil or a large handful of arugula leaves (or both)
• Salt
• Handful toasted pine nuts (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Slice onion into thin wedges – you should get 12 or more wedges.  Peel garlic and slice thinly.
2. Toss tomatoes, onions and garlic in a deep roasting pan with olive oil to coat.  Partially separate individual layers of onion wedges.  Roast in a 375 degree oven until tomatoes are soft and juicy (and starting to pop their skins), and onions are starting to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.   Carefully turn vegetables with a spatula once during cooking.
3. Meanwhile, cook 4-5 servings of pasta in plenty of salted water.  Time the pasta to be ready just after the vegetables have come out of the oven.
4. Just before the tomatoes are done, stack the basil leaves on top of each other, then slice the whole stack into thin strips (called a chiffonade).  Or loosely tear the leaves into halves or quarters if you prefer larger pieces.  If you are using the arugula (which adds a peppery flavor), roughly chop or tear the leaves.
5. Take roasting pan out of the oven.   When the pasta is done cooking, drain it well in a colander and toss the cooked pasta into the pan with the roasted vegetables.  Using a spatula, gently turn the ingredients over and over to combine.  Incorporate the pan drippings into the mix as much as possible—that’s where the sweet caramelized flavor is concentrated.  Add salt to taste, pine nuts (if using), basil/arugula and more extra virgin olive oil.
6. Enjoy with freshly grated parmesan cheese.