Pasta alla Formiana

I found this recipe in Giada's book, Weeknights with Giada, and made a minor tweak to make it vegan. The recipe is super easy....the end result was good but bland. Next time I will be adding add red pepper flakes and basil.

Ingredients:

Olive oil spray

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/2 pound (8 ounces) pennette

1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1/4 cup dried oregano

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 to 5 very ripe, extra-large tomatoes cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

Directions:

  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with olive oil and set aside.

In a food processor, blend together the crushed tomatoes, garlic, and vegetable broth. Pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil on the stove. Add the uncooked pasta, 1/3 cup olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss until all the ingredients are coated.

Line the bottom and sides of the baking dish with tomato slices. Pour the pasta mixture into the pan and spread evenly. Arrange the remaining tomato slices in an overlapping layer on top of the pasta mixture, making sure the mixture is completely covered. Drizzle with olive oil and place dish on a baking sheet. Cook until the tomatoes are slightly crispy and the pasta is cooked, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.