Pesto Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Pesto pasta is the dinner I make when I want something that feels special but actually takes no time at all. The roasted cherry tomatoes are what elevate it from "basic weeknight pasta" to something genuinely lovely — they collapse into jammy, sweet little concentrations of flavour that work in perfect counterpoint to the herby, salty pesto.

You can make your own pesto and I sometimes do, particularly in summer when the basil in the garden is threatening to take over. But a good store-bought pesto absolutely works here. The important thing is not cooking the pesto — you stir it through at the very end, off the heat, so it stays bright and fresh.

Add some burrata on top if you want to make it feel very fancy for very little effort. My eldest spotted this trick and now refers to it as "the burrata trick," and uses it to impress people. I am choosing to see this as a parenting success.

Ingredients

• 400g penne or pasta of choice
• 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 150g good-quality basil pesto
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 50g parmesan, finely grated
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• Fresh basil leaves, to serve
• Salt and black pepper

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 200°C. Toss the cherry tomatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil, the balsamic, garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Spread on a baking tray and roast for 20–25 minutes until collapsed and caramelised at the edges.

Step 2

Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water before draining.

Step 3

Return the drained pasta to the pot (off the heat). Add the pesto and a splash of pasta water. Toss to coat, adding more water to loosen if needed.

Step 4

Fold through the roasted tomatoes and any juices from the tray. Serve with parmesan, fresh basil and a drizzle of the remaining olive oil. Season with plenty of black pepper.