The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Every summer, I patiently anticipate the first homegrown tomatoes of the season. While diligently watering our garden, I keep a daily check on when the sun-ripened delights are ready to pluck.

This year, with the long, cold, and wet spring we had, everything seems to be a little behind schedule. Sadly, we might have to wait a tad longer for our backyard tomatoes.

Luckily, ripe cherry tomatoes, available in most grocery stores, are a quick go-to when craving a burst of sunny flavor. Here, the little tomatoes are roasted with herbs and olive oil to concentrate their flavor. Whipped up with creamy ricotta and parmesan, the resulting sauce perfectly clings to the pasta for a dish fit for casual summer entertaining.

Ingredients:

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups cherry tomatoes, about 2 pint-size packs

8 garlic cloves, smashed (see notes)

3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 pound tube pasta, such as rigatoni or penne

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup gouda cheese, grated

⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated (plus more for serving)

¼ cup fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, half of the thyme, rosemary, and crushed pepper flakes, with salt and pepper to taste. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are bursting and the garlic is lightly golden and aromatic. Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes.

In the bowl of a food processor, add ⅔ of the roasted tomatoes, all the garlic, and the ricotta cheese. Be sure to use all the juices and oil in the roasting pan. Puree until smooth. Taste, then adjust seasoning by adding more salt and pepper as needed. Set aside the other ⅓ of tomatoes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until just al dente. Use a measuring cup to remove and reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain pasta.

Working quickly, return the same pot to the stove, and melt the butter with the remaining thyme over medium heat. Cook until the butter is nutty fragrant and is just starting to lightly brown. Add the tomato and ricotta puree with a generous splash of the pasta water. Stir and heat sauce through. Next, add the gouda and parmesan, stirring until fully melted and incorporated into the sauce.

Add the pasta and the remaining roasted tomatoes to the pot, tossing to combine with the sauce. Add a little more pasta water as needed to thin the sauce and coat all the pasta. Taste and check seasoning, adjust as needed. Take off heat and serve immediately. Divide servings onto plates and top with more parmesan and torn basil leaves. A finishing drizzle of olive oil over the top is also lovely.

Notes:

Look for the best cherry or grape tomatoes you can find. Organic is great if you can find them. This can be extra pretty if you can find an assortment of colored cherry tomatoes. I used a mix of gold and red cherry tomatoes.

To smash the cloves of garlic, peel them and set them on a cutting board. Use a large chef knife and turn it on its flat side over the clove. Then quickly and firmly use the palm of your other hand to smash the clove under the knife, one at a time. The smashed cloves will be flat with a broken surface but will hold together into large pieces. This makes them roast beautifully in the oven and makes it easy to add all of them to the ricotta and the divided tomatoes.

This sunny and creamy pasta makes a lovely vegetarian dish as is but has plenty of room to personalize. Toasted pine nuts as a topping would be lovely, as would chopped marinated artichoke hearts. To add a little meat, try crispy prosciutto pieces or grilled sausages. In a pinch, mozzarella can be substituted for the gouda. Enjoy!