Roasted Heirloom Tomato Pasta with Lemon Panko
This home-grown heirloom tomato pasta transforms simple garden produce into something extraordinary as the tomatoes roast into a rich, jammy depth! There is nothing quite like harvesting ripe heirlooms straight from the garden and watching them turn into a vibrant sauce alongside roasted garlic and shallots.Tossed directly into tagliatelle with white wine, butter, Parmigiano, and finished with fresh heirloom wedges and a crispy lemon butter panko, every bite delivers incredible flavour and texture.
Ingredients
➡️Note About Scaling the Recipe: When scaling to 2X or 3X, the light grey ingredient notes and the instructions remain unchanged. Please adjust as needed.
Tomatoes & Aromatics
- 3½ lb mixed heirloom tomatoes 1.6 kg
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes 300 g, we used a mixed variety
- 1 fresh heirloom tomato for serving optional
- 3 medium shallots peeled and cut into thick wedges
- 1 whole head garlic
- 5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 75 ml, divided
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 10 g
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 g
Lemon Butter Panko (Pangrattato)
- 1½ tablespoon unsalted butter 21 g
- 1½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 22 ml
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 60 g
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley 12 g
- Pinch of kosher salt
Pasta & Sauce
- 1 lb dried tagliatelle 454 g
- ½ cup dry white wine 120 ml
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter 56 g
- 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano 90 g, plus more for serving
- 1½ cups reserved pasta water 355 ml
- 1½ cups loosely packed basil leaves 30 g, torn
- Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
To Finish
- Reserved fresh heirloom tomato cut into wedges
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Small basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
Salt and Prep the Tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Reserve one attractive heirloom tomato for the fresh garnish at assembly, optional.
- Core and cut the remaining heirloom tomatoes based on size: halve small tomatoes, quarter medium tomatoes, and cut large tomatoes into 6 to 8 wedges. Leave cherry tomatoes whole.
- Place cut tomatoes on a wire rack or a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with 1½ teaspoon kosher salt. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes to drain excess liquid, then gently pat dry with paper towels. Salting draws out water, concentrating the tomato flavours before roasting.
Coring Heirloom Tomatoes: For large heirloom varieties with tough tops, quickly core them before cutting into wedges. Insert the tip of a paring knife at a 45-degree angle next to the stem end, then cut a small cone around the stem to pop out the woody center. This ensures every piece roasts down to a perfectly tender texture without any tough spots.
Roast the Tomatoes & Aromatics
- Slice the top off the whole head of garlic to expose the cloves, drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and wrap loosely in foil.
- Arrange the prepped heirloom tomatoes, whole cherry tomatoes, and shallot wedges in a large oval roaster or large rimmed baking sheet. Use a second sheet pan if it is too crowded. Add the remaining olive oil, thyme sprigs, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Toss gently and spread into a single layer. Nestle the wrapped garlic in one corner.
- Roast for 50 to 60 minutes. At the halfway point, gently rotate a few tomato pieces if needed without over-stirring. The tomatoes should show some caramelization around the edges while holding their shape. Remove from the oven and discard thyme sprigs. Set garlic aside to cool slightly.
Prepare the Lemon Butter Panko
- Melt 1½ tablespoon butter with 1½ tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once foaming, add 1 cup panko breadcrumbs and a pinch of kosher salt.
- Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low if browning too quickly, ensuring an even golden shade.
- Remove from heat immediately. Stir in the grated lemon zest and chopped parsley. Transfer to a plate to stop the cooking process.
Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tagliatelle until just short of al dente. Carefully scoop out 1½ cups of pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
Build the Pan Sauce
- Place the roasting pan across two stovetop burners over medium heat. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2 minutes and stir with a wooden spoon.
- Squeeze the soft roasted garlic cloves out of their skin directly into the pan. With the back of a spoon or a spatula, lightly crush about one-third of the roasted tomatoes into the sauce while leaving the rest whole.
- Add 4 tablespoon butter. Once melted, pour in ¾ cup reserved pasta water and simmer for 1 minute until emulsified and glossy.
Combine Pasta and Sauce
- Gently lift out about 2 cups of the whole roasted tomatoes and set aside for topping.
- Add cooked tagliatelle to the pan. Using tongs, fold the pasta to coat ribbons evenly in sauce. Add Parmigiano Reggiano and continue tossing, splashing in additional reserved pasta water as needed to create a light, cohesive coating.
- Fold in torn basil leaves and fresh lemon zest. Taste and adjust salt or pepper if needed.
Assemble and Serve
- Arrange the pasta evenly in the roaster or transfer to a large serving platter. Nest the reserved roasted tomatoes across the top. Tuck raw heirloom tomato wedges around the warm pasta, optional. Finish with extra Parmigiano Reggiano, generous scoops of lemon butter panko, flaky sea salt, cracked black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and small basil leaves. Serve immediately.
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