Sheet Pan

Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Sauteed Mushrooms

by:
May  4, 2017
0
0 Ratings
Photo by Emma S.
  • Serves 2-4
Author Notes

This recipe is my go-to for a quick, healthy and delicious meal on any busy weeknight. It could be served as a main entree or a side dish. I am a pasta lover so I could easily have this as a meal by itself, I also like to add shiitake mushrooms to add more texture into the dish.

The only two fresh ingredients that you need to get from the grocery store are 1 package of fresh long pasta such as Linguine, Fettucine, Tagliatelle or Spaghetti and 1 pint of cherry tomatoes and a block of Parmigiano Reggiano (small to medium size depending on how much cheese you want). If you can't get your hand on fresh pasta, no worries, you can always use the dried pasta instead. The rest of the ingredients use whatever dried herbs and seasonings you've already had in your pantry. Very simple and budget-friendly.

The key to elevate this humble is in the dried herbs. I always make sure to stock my pantry with at least these 3 staples or what I call it the holy trinity of Italian cooking: basil, oregano and parsley. Another secret but no-so-secret ingredient is good ol' granulated sugar. It enhances the natural sweetness of the cherry tomatoes while tapering down any acidity or tartness. —Emmy17

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the seasoning mixture to roast cherry tomatoes
  • 1 pint fresh cherry tomatoes (halved, optional)
  • 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 dried parsley
  • 3-4 pieces garlic cloves, pressed and roughly minced
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon good quality red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes for added heat (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • For the fresh pasta and sauteed mushroom
  • 9 ounces store-bought or homemade fresh pasta (if you don't have fresh, you can substitute it with the dried one.)
  • 7 pieces shiitake mushroom (wash thoroughly and drain. Trim the ends, and thinly slice)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (equa1 to 1 lemon)
  • 1/4 cup grated or shaved Parmigiano Reggiano
  • salt and pepper to taste
Directions
  1. For the seasoning mixture to roast cherry tomatoes
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  3. Add all ingredients except cherry tomatoes to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk and combine until a smooth paste is formed.
  4. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the tomatoes out into one layer. Pour the remaining mixture over the tomatoes.
  5. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft. Lightly mash the tomatoes using fork to release more juice and until it forms a rough sauce-like consistency. Keep warm in the oven while preparing for the pasta and sauteed mushroom.
  1. For the fresh pasta and sauteed mushroom
  2. Bring a medium stock pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the fresh pasta and cook for about 2 minutes. If using dried pasta, cook for about 5 minutes. Remove pasta from heat and drain (reserving about 1 cup of pasta water) and transfer into a large serving bowl. Pour the roasted tomato mixture and its juice into the serving bowl with the pasta. Do not toss or mix.
  3. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until soft (about 5-7 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice and stir well. Turn off the heat.
  4. Pour the sauteed mushroom into the pasta and roasted tomato mixture. Toss sauteed musroom, cooked pasta and roasted tomato mixture until every piece is thoroughly coated. Serve warm with a generous amount of Parmigiano.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Lisa Fields
    Lisa Fields
  • Emmy17
    Emmy17

3 Reviews

Lisa F. September 5, 2017
Can you confirm the measurement on the salt, pepper and pepper flakes? An entire tablespoon of each seems like too much for the quantity of pasta and tomatoes. Thanks.
 
Emmy17 September 8, 2017
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for your inquiry. I've adjusted the amount of salt and pepper to taste versus one tablespoon of each. This way, you can adjust how much salt and pepper you want in the dish to your liking. Please be sure to taste it throughout the cooking process. When I used less than 1 tbsp of salt in my tomato sauce, I found the dish to be rather bland. Remember, we will be adding pasta into this tomato sauce. Once the pasta is added, it will drastically tone down the intensity of that tomato sauce. It will absorb those wonderful seasoning, leaving you with a perfectly balanced flavor. Regarding the peppers, I like my dish spicy, hence the amount of pepper and red pepper flakes lol. But I did adjust the amount of these 2 ingredients on the recipe as well. Let me know how it turns out! =)
 
Emmy17 September 8, 2017
Also, it really depends on what kind of salt you use. I used Diamond kosher salt so it wasn't too salty. But if you use regular iodized/table salt then you will have to significantly reduce the amount of the salt. I hope this helps!