Roasted Garlic and Cherry Tomato Pasta

I love pasta. I think that is quite evident based on my blog. It is just so diverse and you can make it so many ways. This recipe was truly excellent. Roasted garlic is one of my favorite flavors. I love how the cloves smush into a paste- yum. The combinations of flavors was light but robust. I highly recommend this recipe!

Source:The Crepes Of Wrath

Ingredients:

1/2 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1 large bulb of garlic, top sliced off
3-4 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (I used one pint of grape tomatoes- next time I would use 1.5 pints)
1 large red onion, roughly quartered
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons of olive oil
A good pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper
An extra glug or two of olive oil
A large handful of grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the top off the bulb of garlic so that almost all the cloves are exposed. Place the garlic in a large greased and/or lined roasting tray.
2. Prepare the cherry tomatoes by slicing them in half. Place the tomatoes in the roasting tray alongside the garlic. Prepare the red onion by peeling and slicing into rough quarters, place alongside the tomatoes and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar and olive oil and using a pastry brush, brush the mix over the tomatoes, the red onion, and the garlic bulb. Sprinkle the tomatoes, garlic, and onion with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
4. Roast the tray of vegetables in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the tomatoes have reduced to half their size (I roasted it for 35 minutes).
5. While the garlic, tomatoes, and onion are roasting, bring a medium sized pot of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.
6. When the tomatoes, garlic and onion are cooked, remove them from the oven and using a fork/spoon/whatever, mash all the ingredients together in a large bowl until you have a thick, mushy sauce. Tumble the cooked pasta into the bowl and add the Parmesan cheese and an extra glug or two of olive oil. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated.