Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce

Making tomato sauce does not always have to be a laborious process and this recipe will prove that.  I have spent my time slaving over sauce simmering on the stove but during the hustle and bustle of the week, who has time for that?  I love that I can throw this in the oven and then go about my business for an hour!  I began making this as an appetizer, a topping for bruschetta.  One night I thought to myself, wouldn't this be a fabulous sauce for pasta!  I added ingredients that I would use in my regular sauce, and then some!  This dish became an instant hit.  It is such a simple pasta dish, yet so full of flavor.   Feel free to substitute whichever tomatoes that you have on hand.  I used grape tomatoes for this version but I have used tomatoes straight from the garden as well as canned San Marzano tomatoes.  I have added cannellini beans because they add protein and give the sauce a wonderful creaminess.  Give this recipe a go and let me know what you think! 
See recipe below...

Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce

2 - 16 ounce packages of grape tomatoes, picked over and rinsed

1 onion, quartered and thinly sliced

1 head of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

a bundle of fresh thyme

3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 - 14 ounce can of BioItalia cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp. of crushed red pepper (optional)

Himalayan salt, to taste

fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 to 1/2 cup of a good extra virgin olive oil

the zest of a lemon

1 lb. of pasta (I used casarecce)

freshly grated Pecorino Romano for serving

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400.  Place all ingredients (minus the last three), in an 8.5 x 11 baking dish.  Mix them well and roast for a half hour.  Stir and roast for another half hour.  When the sauce is almost finished, cook your pasta al dente, drain it, and put it in a large serving bowl. Remove the rosemary and thyme sprigs from the sauce and pour it on top of the hot pasta. Add the lemon zest and toss it all together.  Serve with freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese and enjoy!

Photos by Becky Loves Cooking

Recipe by Becky Loves Cooking