Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Garlic

Welp, we're in that awkward limbo between Christmas and New Years. It's the time where we "pretend" like the holidays aren't actually already over and try to squeeze in some last minute eating and drinking before the new year begins.

Usually I hit rock bottom on New Years Day, but I think my holiday binge eating began a little early this year, so by Christmas Day my body was absolutely spent. As I walked around Barnes and Noble on December 26th, I thought...why not get a new cookbook to kick off the new year.

Somehow...I found myself in the diet cookbook section which is ironic considering this blog is all about how absolutely disgusting I am when it comes to food. BUT I do love to cook, and my malnourishment has really begun to bring me to a place I have never been before. SO I decided to go with one of the Cooking Light cookbooks.

After going through the entire cookbook, I picked out a few recipes that I could actually see myself making and enjoying...so..after indulging in some chips and queso ( I didn't say getting out of this funk was going to be easy...baby steps people..) I decided to kick off my week with a Sunday night healthy new recipe!

What you need:
1/2 box of spaghetti
4 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil
2 pints multicolored cherry tomatoes
4 garlic cloves diced  (or 2 teaspoons of minced garlic)
black pepper
salt
Fresh mozzarella cheese (or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese), sliced or shaved
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves


Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Put a pot of water on to boil. While the water is boiling, start to prepare your tomatoes for roasting. Pour all your tomatoes in a baking dish and toss with 2 Tablespoons of oil, and your garlic until the tomatoes are coated. For timing's sake, wait until the pot is boiling and pour in the uncooked pasta. Simultaneously, put your pan of tomatoes in the oven. Pasta will likely cook for 8 min, and tomatoes for 11.

 

 

   When your pasta is done, scoop 6 TBSP of the cooking water into a small sauce pan, before draining. Once you drain the pasta, put it back into the pot. Next, add two TBSP of oil to the small saucepan with the cooking liquid. Cook this on high until it starts boiling (shouldn't take more than 2 minutes). Pour the cooking liquid/oil into the big pot with the pasta.

 

By now, your tomatoes should be done. They will likely be a bit brown and mushy. Pour the entire pan of tomatoes into the big pot of pasta. Make sure to scrape the garlic and oil off the bottom of the pan to so it makes it in the dish. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix everything together.

Top the pasta with fresh mozzarella cheese and basil.

This dish was super light but still full of flavor. Would definitely be better in the summer when tomatoes are more in season (and it must be good because I just realized it made the cover of the book!), but still delish!