Harmonicas with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients: - 270 g harmonica pasta (this type of pasta is suitable for sauce because of its shape, it retains the sauce on most of its surface) - 300 ml tomato paste - 4 large cloves of garlic, unpeeled (only the tips are cut) - 1 teaspoon of dried and crushed basil - 15 ml extra virgin olive oil (I used extra virgin olive oil with rosemary and pink pepper) - 60 g thinly sliced prosciutto crudo / jamon serrano (I used serrano) - 30 g cheddar cheese - 10 g butter at room temperature (soft but not melted) - finely ground sea salt - a mix of white, green, and black pepper
In this delicious recipe, we will prepare a pasta dish with a fragrant roasted tomato and garlic sauce, enriched with salty ham and cheddar cheese. We start by roasting the garlic, an essential ingredient to add a deep and savory flavor to our dish. The garlic will not be wrapped in aluminum foil or drizzled with oil, but simply placed in a small tray lined with parchment paper. It will be roasted in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 10 minutes, until it becomes soft and takes on a yellowish hue, a sign that its flavors have concentrated.
Meanwhile, we take care of the pasta. We boil the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions, but with a small trick: the boiling time will be shorter, as the pasta will continue cooking in the oven. This technique will ensure that the pasta remains al dente and does not turn into a sticky mass.
The ham, another important ingredient, will be prepared in a non-stick pan without oil. We heat it over medium heat for about 10 seconds until it becomes slightly crispy, making sure that the slices of ham do not touch each other, to achieve that perfect texture. After cooking, we cut the ham into long pieces of about 5 cm, which will add a salty and savory note.
Now, let’s take care of the sauce. In a small blender, we add the tomato paste, roasted garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, salt, and a mix of white, green, and black pepper. We blend all the ingredients until we obtain a smooth paste. We keep part of this sauce, about 100 ml, in a separate container for later use. The rest of the sauce, about 200 ml, we transfer to a large bowl.
We now add the cut ham and the boiled pasta, which have been drained and rinsed quickly under cold water to stop the cooking, to the bowl with the sauce. We gently mix all the ingredients so that the pasta is well coated with the fragrant sauce.
We prepare an ovenproof dish, greasing it with butter to prevent sticking. We pour the pasta and sauce mixture into the dish, making sure it is evenly distributed. On top of the mixture, we add the reserved sauce (100 ml) and sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over it, which will melt beautifully during baking. For an extra flavor, we add a few crushed basil leaves.
Now, we place the mixture in the preheated oven and let it bake for about 10 minutes. In the end, we will obtain a savory dish with perfectly cooked pasta, a creamy texture, and an irresistible aroma, thanks to the combination of roasted garlic, tomato sauce, and cheddar cheese. It is an ideal dish to be served warm, accompanied by a fresh salad or crunchy bread. Enjoy your meal!
