1/9/26 - Tomato Pasta Dish
Good evening, and welcome to what is actually a very different post to my usual type. I'm just adding this one in amongst my usual diary entries to record a really nice tomato pasta dish which I kind of stumble across. The only thing I regret is not taking any pictures as I was throwing it all together, so there's nothing to see but I wanted to get it down in writing so I can refer back to it in the future.
Ingredients (serves 3 or 4)
7 or 8 Beefsteak tomatoes
Olive oil
2 Bulbs (yes, bulbs) of garlic
180 Grams ish of grated Chedder cheese
1 Teaspoon of Paprika
1 Teaspoon ish of dried Basil
1 Teaspoon ish of dried Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon ish of salt
Dried Penne pasta
3 Dessert spoons of tomato puree
Optional
1 and 1/2 pre cooked chicken breasts, sliced. You could also use pre cooked sausages or anything else to add some meaty bulkiness if that's your thing!
1 Small to medium Aubergine
Green side salad
Garlic bread
Instructions
- In a large shallow pan, (a deep frying an with a lid is ideal), drizzle the plan with a good few glugs of olive oil.
- Cut the tops off each of the tomatoes and place them cut side down into the pan.
- Peel the two bulbs of garlic and add the cloves into the pan.
- Cook on a low to medium heat, keeping the lid on, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the skins can easily be removed from the tomatoes.
- Remove the tomato skins an dispose of them.
- The pan should contain a reasonable amount of liquid. Mash up the tomatoes and garlic with a potato masher.
- Add the Paprika, Basil, Thyme, Salt, Tomato puree and Penne pasta.
- Add any cookable optional ingredients. Eg Aubergine, diced squash etc.
- Cover and simmer on a low heat until the pasta is almost cooked to your liking.
- Add the grated cheese and stir in well. Cover and continue to simmer for a few more minutes, being careful that the moisture level doesn't drop too low, and the dish doesn't catch the bottom of the pan.
- Dish up when the pasta has cooked to your liking.
- Serve with a green side salad and garlic bread.