Appetizing Tagliatelle with Baked Cherry Tomatoes and Provola

The tagliatelle with baked cherry tomatoes and provola is a simple yet flavorful dish. Here is the recipe to prepare this delicious meal:

Ingredients

• 250 g of egg tagliatelle
• 400 g of cherry tomatoes
• 200 g of smoked provola cheese
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A bunch of fresh basil
• Dried oregano (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, cut side up.
3. Add whole garlic cloves among the tomatoes, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a pinch of dried oregano for an extra touch of flavor. Drizzle everything with a thread of extra virgin olive oil.
4. Bake the tomatoes for about 20 minutes or until they begin to caramelize slightly.
5. In the meantime, cut the smoked provola cheese into cubes and set aside.
6. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg tagliatelle according to the package instructions to achieve al dente texture.
7. Once the tomatoes are ready, remove the garlic (if you prefer a more subtle flavor) and set the tomatoes aside.
8. Drain the tagliatelle and reserve a cup of the cooking water.
9. In a large pan, pour a thread of oil and lightly fry the garlic retrieved from the tomatoes (if desired, otherwise it can be omitted).
10. Add the baked tomatoes and gently stir.
11. Add the tagliatelle to the pan with the tomatoes, add the cubed provola cheese, and a little of the reserved cooking water to bind the sauce to the tagliatelle.
12. Stir over the fire for a couple of minutes until the provola begins to melt, creating a cream that binds the seasoning to the pasta.
13. Serve immediately garnishing with fresh basil leaves.

The tagliatelle prepared in this way will be creamy and tasty, with the sweet and concentrated flavor of the baked cherry tomatoes and the smoky aroma of the provola melting among the pasta strands.

Curiosity

Smoked provola is a cheese typical of Southern Italy, especially Campania, where it is used in numerous preparations for its distinctive smoky aroma and its ability to stretch when melted.