Simple penne pasta bake recipe

There’s a layer of juicy fresh toms at the base of the dish, the penne pasta in the centre is smothered in pure tomato juice, then you’ve more oven-roasted toms on top.

And all of this drizzled in oil with the subtle herby flavor of oregano.

Have I won you over yet? If you love your toms, you must try this one...

(Also try these other baked pasta recipes)

Serves 2

Ingredients: (For a printable Pasta Bake Recipe Shopping List click here, or right-click to save the list for later.)

1kg/35oz fresh vine (round) tomatoes

300g/10.5oz penne/garganelli pasta

Garlic clove

2 teaspoons oregano

Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

Small deep oven dish (i.e. 12 x 6 inches)

Mixing bowl

2 additional smaller bowls

Sieve or food mill (like this)

Optional: garlic crusher

STEP 1 - Rinse the tomatoes, then stand one in its center on your chopping board.

- Chop it in half then use a small spoon to scoop its insides (seeds included) into one of the small bowls. Throw the remaining halved tomato shells into a second bowl. Repeat with all the tomatoes.

STEP 2 - Cover the base of the oven dish with 50% of the halved tomatoes, insides facing up.

STEP 3 - Using your sieve or food mill and a mixing bowl, squish the tomato insides until you have a bowl full of smooth tomato juice.

- Peel and very thinly slice (or crush) the garlic clove. Add this to the tomato juice along with the salt, pepper and oregano.

STEP 4 - Add the penne to the mixing bowl and stir well – until all the pasta is coated.

- Pour the pasta mixture evenly into the oven dish, over the bottom tomato layer.

- Cover the pasta with the remaining tomato halves (insides facing down), making sure all the pasta is covered (to avoid the penne shapes burning in the oven). Use similar extra tomatoes if required here.

- Sprinkle over a little olive oil and a pinch or two more of salt.

STEP 5 - Pop the oven dish in the middle of a pre-heated oven at 180C/350-degrees Fahrenheit for 60-70 mins (until the pasta is cooked).

Done – buon appetito!

Serve with: any red wine of your choosing. I like a light red with this dish, such as a nice French Cote Du Rhone

Enjoyed this penne pasta bake recipe? Also try...

• These tomato sauce recipes are real Italian kitchen staples

• Veggie? Don’t miss these vegetarian pasta recipes