This 5-Ingredient Dinner I Make All Summer Long

I grew up with a modest backyard garden in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, that produced a handful of super sweet, teeny little strawberries, a couple of pints of string beans, and no less than 17 billion tomatoes every summer.

Back then, my sisters and I invented any reason for our Malibu Dream House-less Barbies to frolic through the plants, their tiptoe feet aerating the turf, while their hair—hand-cut (by us) and dyed blue with rock-hard craft paint—stuck to everything.

While the tomato bounty was hands-down the absolute worst part of the harvest for us as kids (Strawberries rule! Tomatoes drool!), my adult palate now craves tomato season. Of course, no grocery store tomatoes can ever taste as vibrant as garden fresh, that is, unless you turn them into tomato "candy."  

The acclaimed author of the bestselling cookbook Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Chef Samin Nosrat debuted her Pasta with Tomato "Candy" recipe on episode one of the Netflix series Waffles + Mochi. She tossed slow-roasted tomatoes (sweet like "candy") with short pasta, grated cheese, and fresh basil. 

Looking at the gorgeously simple meal, I knew that if a puppet based on a mochi ball with no thumbs could make it, so could I. And so can you! 

Al dente bowtie pasta (or any pasta shape) provides a chewy canvas for sweet, roasted tomatoes; peppery fresh basil; and umami-popping parmesan that melts in your mouth. It's a family-friendly, throw-it-together Pasta alla Nosrat that I make when I want to be instantly transported to a backyard in Sicily. Tomato candy, let's ride. 

Tips for Making Tomato “Candy” With Pasta

• Salt Generously: I learned how to commit to seasoning by watching Samin add gobs of salt to her Buttermilk Marinated Roast Chicken on the Netflix show named after her cookbook. Salt is flavor, and here, she rightly suggests generously salting your pasta water. (A giant tablespoon for every seven quarts of water.) Save a cup of that pasta water, in case you need it.
• Cheese It Up: You can hunt down Parmigiano Reggiano or just grate a wedge of lowercase-P parmesan from Trader Joe's, like I did. (Samin also suggests subbing in Asiago, Pecorino Romano, ricotta salata, fresh ricotta, or feta.) Reminder: All cheese is freakin' delicious, so don't go light.
• Add the Tomatoes Last: I opted for the 350°F, 45-minute tomato roasting option (with an additional five minutes for blackened edges), which yields soft tomatoes that taste caramelized and sweet. But I didn't want them to fall apart, so I tossed the pasta with the cheese and basil separately, adding the tomatoes after I plated the pasta.
• Take Your Time (If You Can): If you've a little more time, try the five-hour tomato roast (with added sugar and a lower oven temperature of 225°F). This tomato "candy" develops a texture similar to sun-dried tomatoes, but sweeter. 

Roasting tomatoes low and slow concentrates tomato's sweetness, transforming them into something truly special, perfect for tossing with pasta. This dish is simple enough for a weeknight but flavorful enough to feel like a treat. With just a handful of ingredients and a little time, tomato season reaches its full potential.