Fresh Tomato Sauce

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

2 3/4 pounds cherry tomatoes

4 garlic cloves (gently smashed)

1 shallot (roughly chopped)

5 thyme sprigs

3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons minced basil leaves (plus more for garnish)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

salt and pepper to taste

8 ounces cooked bucatini (or pasta of choice)

fresh grated parmesan (garnish)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a ceramic or glass baking dish combine tomatoes, garlic, shallot, and thyme. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss together.

Place tomato mixture into the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and toss together.

Place tomatoes back into the oven for another 15 minutes or until tomato skins have begun to shrivel and the tomatoes themselves have slightly burst.

Remove tomatoes from oven and discard thyme sprigs.

Pour roasted tomato mixture into a blender, reserving about 1 1/2 cups roasted cherry tomatoes for garnish.

Blend tomato mixture until “chunky-smooth”. Pour mixture into a skillet.

Place over medium heat and simmer.

Stir in tomato paste and basil and season with salt and pepper. Stir and simmer for 4to 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in butter. Add pasta and toss together until well coated.

Top with reserved roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and grated Parmesan.Serve.

Nutrition

• Calories: 232 kcal
• Total Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Trans Fat: 0.2 g
• Cholesterol: 15 mg
• Sodium: 972 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 16 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Total Sugars: 9 g
• Protein: 4 g