Smoky Confit Tomato and Lemon Pasta
Updated Aug. 1, 2024
- Total Time
- About 1 hour
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1½-inch pieces (or left whole, if bite-size)
- 1¼cups olive oil
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 2lemons, zest peeled into strips, avoiding the white pith (save the juice for another use)
- 2cinnamon sticks
- 2small dried ancho chiles
- 1head garlic, top ½ inch of the bulbs removed
- 10fresh oregano sprigs, plus 1 sprig extra to serve
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1pound rigatoni pasta (or another similar shape)
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
763 calories; 47 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 33 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 76 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 839 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Step 2
In a large (about 11-by-15-inch) roasting pan, add all the ingredients except for the pasta, and season with 1½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Spread into an even layer, with the head of garlic facing cut-side down. Nestle the ancho chiles under the tomatoes, tearing in half if necessary to immerse them, then roast the mixture for 35 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender and lightly charred. Use tongs to squeeze the garlic cloves into the pan, discarding the papery skins. Remove and finely chop the ancho chiles, then return to the pan, discarding the stems.
- Step 3
While the tomato confit roasts, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta a few minutes before the tomatoes have finished cooking, and cook as per packet instructions. Reserve ⅓ cup of the pasta water, then strain the pasta. Add the pasta to the roasting pan and gently stir to combine until the pasta has absorbed any cooking liquid from the pan. Add some pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the sauce clings nicely to the pasta.
- Step 4
Discard the cinnamon sticks and serve straight from the pan, with the extra oregano sprinkled on top.
Private Notes
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Comments
Lemon or Zest: The following quote is from the NYT article that accompanied this recipe (July 18, 2024): “Today’s recipe sticks to only that zest, because tomatoes normally have enough acidity in them to give my pasta a nice sharpness. But extra juice would definitely not hurt, particularly if your tomatoes are extra sweet.” So, zest only. But the comments are right - the instructions in the recipe are unclear and the editor should revise the text regarding the lemon ingredient.
I made this last night, and the dish was very flavorful. However, it was also VERY oily. If I made it again, I would use perhaps half the amount of olive oil indicated.
This looks fantastic, but I am a little confused: Should I add the whole lemon into the pan? Or just the strips?
My favorite solution to the "too much oil" problem: spoon the excess off into a bowl, salt it, and serve with bread or mozzarella on the side. The relative lightness of these ingredients (yes, at least in contract to this wonderfully rich pasta!) does a lot to round everything out.
I cut down on the oil and zested the lemon-- it was amazing. I also added sausage the second time I cooked it and was loved by all!
This was so amazing! So rich, but so delicate at the same time. Amazing with parm at the end. Even cooked some long pole beans in it and they turned out amazing. Next time I’ll add anchovies to the oil and maybe some cod or other white fish. I think anything would be amazing poached in this oil. And I even though I liked the pasta a lot, it would be even better smother across a toasted crostini. So many ways to riff!!