Spaghetti & Roasted Tomatoes

I am reading the book Eat, Pray, Love. Recently I was really involved in my book, loving the chapters about her time in Italy. Then I realized, hey, its dinner time! I decided on an Italian meal. Spaghetti and Roasted Tomatoes....perfect!
Here is how you can make it too.
Ingredients:
3 ounces diced pancetta
Olive Oil
2 anchovy fillets
1 cup bread crumbs
4 tomatoes, tops sliced off
2 cloves garlic
Small handful of fresh herbs, such as basil
8 ounces spaghetti


Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Brown pancetta until the edges are crispy. Remove from pan and set aside.

Take out anchovy fillets. I have to admit, I've never purchased anchovies before. They were pretty creepy looking!

Using a wooden spoon, mash them in the pan until they start to dissolve.

Add bread crumbs, cook until browned.

Place tomatoes, cut side up, in baking dish. Push sliced garlic into the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

Push the bread crumb mixture into the tomatoes, and mound the rest on top. Sprinkle with fresh herbs. Drizzle olive oil over the top.

Roast tomatoes until browned and interior is soft. About 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to directions, reserving a little water.

Remove tomatoes from the oven, and scrape the crumbs and juices from the bottom of the pan. Mix in with the pasta.

Transfer pasta to a serving dish, top with tomatoes. If you're like me, sprinkle your favorite cheese on top, along with the browned pancetta.

Pretend you're in Italy and enjoy your meal!



Spaghetti with Roasted Tomatoes
(adapted from The Italian Dish)
Ingredients:
3 ounces diced pancetta
Olive Oil
2 anchovy fillets
1 cup bread crumbs
4 tomatoes, tops sliced off
2 cloves garlic
Small handful of fresh herbs, such as basil
8 ounces spaghetti

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Fry pancetta until crispy around the edges. Remove pancetta from skillet.
2. Using same skillet add some olive oil. Throw in anchovies. Mash anchovies with wooden spoon until they begin to dissolve.
3. Add bread crumbs and cook until golden
4. Put tomatoes, cut side up, in a baking dish. Cut up garlic and put some in each tomato.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Then begin to fill with bread crumb mixture. Push some into the tomato and mound onto tomatoes. Sprinkle on fresh herbs.
6. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes. Place in oven.
7. Roast until browned a bit and insides are soft. The tomatoes should not have collapsed yet. This takes about 1 hour.
8. Cook spaghetti as directed on the package. Reserve some of the pasta water.
9. Remove tomatoes from oven. Spoon mixture from the bottom of the pan onto the spaghetti.
10. Add some olive oil and a little splash of the pasta water.
11. Place pasta in a serving bowl, top with tomatoes. Sprinkle pancetta over the top.