Don’t miss out on this year’s farm-fresh tomatoes. Make this now.
I cannot get enough of this year’s tomato crop. I would eat them every day if they all tasted like our Long Island tomatoes this year. And when I made this recipe from Food and Wine, I realized it really won’t have to be tomato season to enjoy this incredible roasted tomato sauce. Cherry Tomatoes are reliably good much of the year. But right now, if they’re local, they’re perfect. Especially when you go over the top with both Pecorino and Burrata topping this jammy, garlicky roasted tomato sauce.
This isn’t just delicious, it’s stunningly easy to make.
All it takes is roasting the tomatoes on a sheet pan, then cooking them down with (lots of) fresh garlic and extra virgin olive oil. And as if they aren’t sweet enough, a pinch of Turbinado sugar is added. The original recipe called for Sun Gold Cherry Tomatoes which will make the sauce a bright orange. I opted for Cherry Tomatoes on the vine from my local farmer’s market. They were a mix of red and gold. But as they melted into sauce, I decided I wanted to finish the dish with the tiniest of tomatoes I could find. They’re called “Sprinkles” and I found them at that well-known Farmer’s Market called Trader Joe’s.
Why Pecorino is the perfect cheese for this dish
The original recipe called for, what else, Parmigiano. I’d like to make a case for Pecorino. It’s the perfect counterpoint to all the sweetness of the sauce and the creaminess of the Burrata. The Pecorino I used is from Sardinia, of all places. Made from a breed of sheep 
called Sarda, their milk is flavored with the shrubs and wild herbs of their rugged pastures. There are 3 Pecorinos that have been certified by the European Union’s “Protected Designation of Origin”. Pecorino Romano, in honor of its Roman birthplace, is the most well-known. Pecorino Sardo, the pride of Sardinia comes in both Dolce (mild) and Maturo (mature) varieties. Finally, there’s Fiore Sardo, for centuries one of Sardinia’s defining agricultural products. I chose it for this dish for its sharpness and intense flavor. But any Pecorino will make pasta more memorable. Here is the recipe and some other tomato treats.
Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Burrata, and Pecorino
This ultra tomato-ey sauce is jammy-rich and garlicky. Topped with both Burrata and Pecorino, it's irresistible to any tomato lover.
Ingredients
- 3 pints Cherry tomatoes
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cup olive oil, divided
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (preferably Turbinado)
- 1 (16-ounce) package pasta (such as penne or casarecce), cooked according to package directions
- Shaved Pecorino cheese and flaky sea salt, for serving.
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Place tomatoes and garlic on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1/2 cup olive oil, and season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Step 2 toss to combine. Roast in preheated oven until tomatoes are blistered, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Smash garlic with a fork.
- Step 3 Place roasted tomatoes, garlic, and pan juices in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium. Add sugar, remaining 1/2 cup olive oil, remaining 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have burst and the sauce has thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Step 4 Toss pasta with tomato sauce. Top with both Burrata and Pecorino and flaky sea salt.