My happiest childhood memories are set in my Nana’s kitchen watching her make sauce. It was a process. Tomatoes were peeled. A food mill was deployed. Garlic perfumed the air. My siblings and I were enthralled. Nana’s sauce was delicious, but it definitely was work. 

The cherry tomatoes in my garden are out of control (yes, a very happy “problem”), so I’ve been experimenting with new recipes to use up this incredible bounty. Harissa Tomato and Chickpea Spaghetti has become a favorite because it’s very good and ridiculously easy. The sauce-making is basically hands-off. No peeling the tomatoes. Almost no chopping. And no frequent stirring. How is this magic feat accomplished? Hello baking dish.

Featured Recipe

Toss whole cherry tomatoes, canned chickpeas, sliced red onion, peeled garlic cloves, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, harissa, olive oil, and salt in a standard 13 by 9-inch baking dish and roast until everything softens and the flavors meld. Use a fork to mash the creamy garlic into the veggie mixture. That’s it. The sauce is done! 

Add the cooked noodles to the baking pan along with ricotta for creaminess and Parm for flavor. Loosen things up with reserved pasta cooking water and you’re ready to eat. I love that this recipe relies almost entirely on pantry staples, but since I also have basil in the garden I’ve been adding some at the last minute.

The sun-drieds amp up the tomato flavor, but I omitted them once and the sauce was still mighty fine. And while you know I like spicy food, mild harissa is best here. As Nana taught me, you want to let the tomatoes shine.

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