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Roasted Tomato Sauce with Rosemary and Goat Cheese

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 18, 2011

Time

1½ hours

Yield

3 to 3 1/2 Cups—For 1 Pound of Pasta

Roasted Tomato Sauce with Rosemary and Goat Cheese

Ingredients

2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes Salt and ground black pepper 3 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes (9 to 12 medium), cored and halved pole to pole6 medium cloves garlic, peeled1 small onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds1 teaspoon red wine vinegar Granulated sugar to taste (up to 2 teaspoons; see note above)2 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Before You Begin

This sauce is best with short pasta shapes, such as ziti or penne. It can also be served over chicken Parmesan or grilled fish. If serving this sauce with pasta, save some of the pasta cooking water to adjust the sauce's consistency. Plum tomatoes can be used, but the sauce may require even more pasta cooking water. Because fresh tomatoes vary in sweetness, it's best to add sugar to taste before serving. The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; bring to a simmer before using.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Combine tomato paste, 1 tablespoon oil, rosemary, pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Toss tomatoes, garlic, and onion with tomato paste mixture until evenly coated. Place 4-inch square of foil in center of wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place garlic cloves and onion rounds on foil and arrange tomatoes, cut side down, around garlic and onion.
  2. Roast until vegetables are soft and tomato skins are well charred, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Transfer garlic and onion to food processor; pulse until finely chopped, about five 1-second pulses. Add tomatoes, vinegar, and remaining tablespoon oil to food processor. Pulse until broken down but still chunky, about five 1-second pulses. Using rubber spatula, scrape down bowl; season with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Continue to process sauce until slightly chunky, about five 1-second pulses. After tossing sauce with pasta, sprinkle with goat cheese.
Roasted Tomato Sauce with Rosemary and Goat Cheese

Roasted Tomato Sauce with Rosemary and Goat Cheese

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1½ hours

Yield

3 to 3 1/2 Cups—For 1 Pound of Pasta

Ingredients

2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and ground black pepper
3 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes (9 to 12 medium), cored and halved pole to pole
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 small onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Granulated sugar to taste (up to 2 teaspoons; see note above)
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and ground black pepper
3 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes (9 to 12 medium), cored and halved pole to pole
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 small onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Granulated sugar to taste (up to 2 teaspoons; see note above)
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and ground black pepper
3 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes (9 to 12 medium), cored and halved pole to pole
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 small onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Granulated sugar to taste (up to 2 teaspoons; see note above)
2 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

For a great fresh tomato sauce recipe with out-of-season fresh tomatoes, we turned to roasting, which caramelized natural sugars in the tomatoes, intensified flavor, and added a light touch of smokiness to our sauce. Keeping the seeds in the roasted tomatoes added needed moisture to our sauce, and tossing them with tomato paste gave our sauce a deep red color and more flavor.

Before You Begin

This sauce is best with short pasta shapes, such as ziti or penne. It can also be served over chicken Parmesan or grilled fish. If serving this sauce with pasta, save some of the pasta cooking water to adjust the sauce's consistency. Plum tomatoes can be used, but the sauce may require even more pasta cooking water. Because fresh tomatoes vary in sweetness, it's best to add sugar to taste before serving. The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; bring to a simmer before using.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Combine tomato paste, 1 tablespoon oil, rosemary, pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Toss tomatoes, garlic, and onion with tomato paste mixture until evenly coated. Place 4-inch square of foil in center of wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place garlic cloves and onion rounds on foil and arrange tomatoes, cut side down, around garlic and onion.
  2. Roast until vegetables are soft and tomato skins are well charred, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Transfer garlic and onion to food processor; pulse until finely chopped, about five 1-second pulses. Add tomatoes, vinegar, and remaining tablespoon oil to food processor. Pulse until broken down but still chunky, about five 1-second pulses. Using rubber spatula, scrape down bowl; season with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Continue to process sauce until slightly chunky, about five 1-second pulses. After tossing sauce with pasta, sprinkle with goat cheese.

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