Roasted White Bean and Tomato Pasta
With a flavor profile inspired by pasta e fagioli, this weeknight pasta recipe coaxes rich flavor out of simple ingredients while enlisting the oven to create a luscious sauce from roasted tomatoes and white beans. Essentially, the dish requires just three steps: Boil pasta, roast your sauce ingredients, then stir together until the pasta is glossy. When roasted in the oven, the beans become crispy, like croutons, and break down in a way that helps thicken the sauce. Though a flurry of freshly grated cheese would be welcome on top, this otherwise-vegan dish doesn’t need it: The roasted tomato sauce is rich and luscious, fortified by starchy pasta water, roasted beans and a good glug of extra-virgin olive oil.
Yield:4 to 6 servings • Salt and black pepper • ¾cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1large shallot, finely minced • 2tablespoons tomato paste • 5garlic cloves, thinly sliced • ½teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or ¼ teaspoon dried) • ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes • ½teaspoon granulated sugar • 16ounces cherry tomatoes, halved • 1(15-ounce) can small white beans (preferably navy or cannellini beans), rinsed (or 1⅓ cups cooked white beans) • 1pound orecchiette (or other shaped pasta that will cup or grasp the sauce) • Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino (optional), for serving
PREPARATION • Step 1 Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. • Step 2 In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup olive oil with the shallot, tomato paste, garlic, rosemary, red-pepper flakes and sugar. On a large baking sheet, toss the tomatoes with the dressing; season generously with salt and pepper, then spread in an even layer. • Step 3 On a second baking sheet, toss the beans with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season generously with salt and pepper. • Step 4 Roast the tomatoes and beans, stirring halfway through, until tomatoes slump and beans crisp, about 25 minutes. • Step 5 While the tomatoes and beans roast, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water then drain pasta. • Step 6 Transfer the beans and tomatoes to the pot. Add ¼ cup pasta cooking water to the sheet pan from the tomatoes and use a flexible spatula to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the sheet pan; transfer to the pot, then repeat with another ¼ cup pasta cooking water. (One thing they’ll teach you in French culinary school: Never, ever discard the sucs, those browned bits at the bottom of the pan that carry deep flavor.) • Step 7 Add the pasta and the remaining ½ cup olive oil to the pot; stir vigorously until saucy. Season generously with salt and pepper, then add extra pasta water as needed to moisten until glossy. Divide among wide, shallow bowls and top with grated cheese, if desired.