Extra Fresh Pasta with Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Sauce

Last Saturday, I posted a recipe for Tomatoes Two Ways Pasta, a dish featuring roasted tomatoes. Roasting brings out tomatoes’ depth and rich sweetness. They are so incredibly good, that I wanted to make a second pasta dish along similar lines, this time vegetarian. This dish also features fresh, homemade ricotta and homemade noodles.

Fresh Fresh Fresh Pasta with Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Sauce

2 tbsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 cups roasted tomato sauce (see recipe below)
20 basil leaves, sliced in ribbons
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
1 cup fresh ricotta (see recipe for chunky ricotta)
1 recipe fresh fettucine (see recipe below)

1. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce and half the basil and reduce heat to simmer sauce while you cook the pasta. Season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.

2. Gently heat the ricotta in the microwave. Place cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 50 percent power for 90 seconds, stirring halfway through and at the end to evenly distribute heated cheese.

3. To serve, spoon a generous portion of pasta in a bowl. Top with a 1/2 cup of tomato sauce and 1/4 cup of fresh ricotta. Sprinkle some fresh basil ribbons on top.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

8-10 ripe vine tomatoes (i.e. the regular-size red kind)
Olive oil
Salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Quarter tomatoes and put in an 9 X 12 glass baking dish (don't use aluminum). Spray with olive oil or toss with a couple tablespoons and season with salt. Roast tomatoes until shriveled and just starting to brown, about 2-3 hours. Set aside to cool and then puree in a food processor. Store in a jar in the refrigerator.

Fresh Fettucine
Adapted from Fresh Egg Pasta, How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

2 cups flour, plus more as needed
1 tsp. salt
3 egg yolks
2 eggs

1. Pulse flour and salt in food processor a few times to combine. Add eggs all at once, turn food processor on, and process about 30 seconds until the dough comes together in a ball. If it is sandy and not clumping, add a tablespoon or two of water. If it comes out too sticky, add some additional flour when kneading. Briefly knead the dough while forming it into a ball, dust with flour and cover with plastic wrap or a towel and allow dough to rest about 30 minutes.

2. Divide the dough into 5-6 pieces and form into thin pasta sheets using a pasta machine. Cut with a pasta cutter or by hand. Cook in salted boiling water about 3 minutes. Set aside in an oiled bowl until ready to use.