Cheesy Tomato and Garlic Pasta

Here's a quick pasta recipe using garlic and tomato! The kids love it because it is cheesy. Like the chickpea recipe, we put the olive oil after the heat is removed to prevent it from smoking.

RECIPESCARE

Richard Lasam

12/3/20252 min read

When it comes to pasta, our children prefer simple recipes; their favorite is the Penne al Telefono that Cibo makes. In an effort to make one just like it at home, I looked for a recipe online but found nothing with the same name. I found this recipe called Pasta alla Sorrentina, instead. It is just like the Cibo penne, with stewed tomatoes and cheese. Here, I modified it to suit how our family likes to eat.

Cheesy Tomato and Garlic Pasta

Serves 2 adults (and 2 little children).

Equipment

1 Large pan

1 Large pot for cooking pasta

1 Strainer

Ingredients

150 g Penne rigate

1 Tbsp Salt (for the pasta water)

4 pcs Cherry tomatoes, halved

6 cloves Garlic, sliced lengthwise in large pieces (so the kids who don't like them can pick them out)

75 g Hard cheese (I use grana padano), grated

1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil

Procedure

  1. In a large pot, boil water with salt. Once it is a rolling boil, put pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or according to package directions.

  2. While the pasta is cooking, dry roast the aromatics in the pan at low heat, occasionally put pasta water to keep the tomato and garlic from sticking to the pan. Once the garlic browns slightly at the edges, turn off the heat on the pan and wait for the pasta to finish cooking.

  3. Put the olive oil while the pan is turned off. This is to heat up the olive oil but not to the point that it will smoke. Once pasta is cooked and drained (while still hot), put into the pan with the olive oil, tomato, and garlic and turn the heat on again, but keep it at low heat.

  4. Mix the pasta well, then put the grated cheese into the pan and mix all of the ingredients together. Serve immediately.


grate the cheese using the fine side of the grater. this helps the cheese to melt into the sauce.

using the pasta water to stew the tomatoes and cook the garlic.

strain the pasta using a strainer or a colander, whichever you have at home!

once you add the cheese, it will start to melt. Keep mixing!

"This recipe tastes like the penne al telefono that our kids like. It has stewed tomatoes, garlic, and cheese."