Pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, kalamata olives and pesto

adapted from
http://montrealfoodblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/pasta-with-roasted-cherry-tomatoes.html
and
http://whatimcookingnow.blogspot.com/2006/06/pasta-with-roasted-cherry-tomatoes.html

Fall and frost came far too early this year (2008). I ended up with a pile of green tomatoes, most of them cherry tomatoes. I was told they would eventually ripen indoors. It took several weeks (maybe months?) but, with the help of a big paper bag, eventually I had a huge pile of ripening cherry tomatoes. When I got sick of just eating them or putting them on salad, I made this yummy pasta dish in mid-November.–Lucinda

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
salt and pepper

1 pound penne (any full bodied pasta shape will do)
1/2 cup halved pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 heaping tablespoonful of good pesto
Parmigiano Reggiano to taste

Directions
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Combine tomatoes, oil, garlic, vinegar and crushed red pepper in a glass baking dish. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are tender, juicy, and splitting open, about 25 minutes.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Return to pot. Add tomato mixture and olives. Stir over medium heat until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add goat cheese and pesto; stir until melted and creamy, about 2 minutes. Divide pasta among 6 plates; sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano and serve.

NOTE:
If you don’t have pesto, you can add some herbs (oregano, basil, rosemary . . .) to the roasting process and throw some toasted pine nuts into the final dish.

Copyright © 2008, Lucinda DeWitt