Equipment
Ingredients
Tomatoes
- 500 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 5 g kosher salt
Pasta and Finishes
- 400 g spaghetti
- 100 g pecorino romano, finely grated
- 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 120°C/250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the halved cherry tomatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt. Roast in the oven for 2 hours until the tomatoes are shriveled, deeply caramelized, and have released their juices.
About 15 minutes before the tomatoes are done, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
Before draining the pasta, carefully scoop out and reserve about 120ml of the starchy pasta cooking water.
Transfer the drained spaghetti to a large skillet off the heat. Scrape all the roasted tomatoes and their infused oil from the baking sheet into the pasta. Add the finely grated Pecorino Romano, chopped parsley, black pepper, and half of the reserved pasta water.
Toss everything together vigorously using tongs until the cheese melts into the oil and water, forming a glossy, emulsified sauce that coats the noodles. Add more pasta water if the dish seems dry.
Chef's Notes
- The success of a five-ingredient dish rests entirely on ingredient quality. Use the best extra virgin olive oil and genuine Pecorino Romano PDO you can source.
- Slow-roasting tomatoes at 120C (250F) gently dehydrates them, intensifying their natural glutamates and umami characteristics without burning the delicate olive oil.
- Pecorino Romano is significantly saltier than Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste your final emulsified sauce before adding any additional salt to the finished dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water to re-emulsify the sauce.
