Roasted Tomato Spaghetti

One of my favorite EASY recipes is Roasted Tomato Spaghetti. I found the recipe in Cooking Light magazine and made a few minor changes. For all of you lucky tomato gardeners, you can make this without having to go to the store. Even if you do have to make a quick trip to the store, I promise it's worth it. Enjoy!

Roasted Tomato Spaghetti

total prep/cook time: 30 mins serves 4

Ingredients
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved (about 4 cups)
5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) parmesan cheese

note: the original recipe calls for 1/2 cup ricotta salata cheese, crumbled but I prefer parmesan

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Place tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt (I also add a dash of garlic powder and any other italian seasoning I have on hand). Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until tomatoes collapse.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta and reserved liquid to pan; stir in tomatoes, remaining 4 teaspoons oil, remaining 3/8 teaspoon salt, basil, pepper, and cheese. Toss well. Serve immediately.