Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and White Beans

A healthy pasty dinner? Yes, it's true! And it doesn't involve whole wheat pasta. Nothing against whole wheat pasta, it just doesn't work for everything. The recipe is by Ellie Krieger, a nutritionist who used to have a show on the Food Network. Alas we no longer have cable so I'm not sure if she still does. I doubled the recipe even though it's just me here because I love it that much. I've pretty much been eating this for lunch and dinner everyday this week (I made this Sunday night) and I still haven't gotten tired of it. So the pictures and instructions on here are for a double recipe but the link is for the single recipe. Also I have the book this came from and the recipe in the book is SLIGHTLY different than the link. I really don't know why (for example, the book recipe calls for 6 cloves of garlic while the online version only calls for 4).

Also, I'm not really that big of a tomato OR garlic fan and I still LOVE this recipe!

You will need (remember this is doubled!):

• 6 large ripe tomatoes (about 4 pounds)
• 12 large cloves of garlic, papery outermost skin removed, but left unpeeled
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Two 15.5-ounce cans cannellini or other white beans, preferably low-sodium (I used Great White Northern)
• 1 box (16 ounces) penne pasta
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2/3 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used the canned stuff..shhhh!)

You also need a big pasta pot and a 9x13" pan.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Slice each tomato into 8 wedges and discard the seeds. Put the tomato wedges and garlic in the 9x13 pan, toss with 4 tablespoons of the oil, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and a few turns of pepper. Roast, uncovered, until the tomatoes lose their shape and become slightly charred, 35-40 minutes.

Pretty tomato wedges!

Eat your heat our Rachel Ray...I line my garbage bowl for easy cleanup!

Speaking of Rachel Ray, do NOT buy her oil and vinegar bottles like the red one in the first picture. The oil and vinegar will seep through the bottom. :( Notice the paper towel under mine.

Pretty tomatoes and garlic ready for the heat!

Let's check in on the rusty, I mean TRUSTY assistant!

"When are you going to make me more peanut butter treats??"

Drain the beans in a large colander in the sink.

Beans in a colander, CHECK!

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta in the colander containing the beans, so the hot pasta water warms the beans. Return the drained pasta and beans to the pasta pot.

Here's how to chiffonad (or make ribbons of) your basil:

Stack the basil leaves. It helps a bit to have the bigger ones on the bottom and the smaller ones on top.

Roll the leaves up!

Chop! You have to hold on to the leaf roll so be VERY careful not to cut your fingers. 

Not quite ready...

There!!! Roasty goodness!

When the tomatoes are done, carefully pick out the garlic cloves, squeeze the garlic out of the skin into a small bowl, and mash with a fork. Add the lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper, and stir to combine. I do this in a slightly different order though....

I've found the easiest way is to hold the clove with a fork and squeeze the garlic out with a knife. They're much too hot to handle with your fingers!

I cheat and make the rest of the sauce while I'm waiting on the tomatoes, garlic and pasta. And then add the garlic.

All mashed in!

Transfer the roasted tomatoes to the pasta pot, add the garlic-lemon mixture and basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine. Served topped with the Parmesan.

My beans got a big smashed...oops!

The beans give this an almost creamy flavor! Next up, (hopefully tonight) a healthy Buffalo chicken salad!

Recipe stats:

Serves 4 (or 8 in the blog version)

Serving size: 1 1/2 cups (which is a pretty generous pasta serving!)

Per serving:

• Calories: 476
• Total fat: 14.5g
• Mono: 8g
• Poly: 2g
• Sat: 2.5g
• Protein: 16.5g
• Carb: 70.5g
• Fiber: 9.5g
• Chol: 1mg
• Sodium: 602mg

Excellent source of: fiber, iron, manganese, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K

Good source of: calcium, copper, folate, magnesium, molybdenum, potassium, thiamin, vitamin B6