Pesto Pasta Salad With Roasted Tomatoes And Asparagus

1. 1

   1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil.

2. 2

   2. In a large bowl, toss the grape tomatoes (whole) with brown sugar, a dash of salt, black pepper and 1 Tablespoon olive oil, coating well. Roast at 375 for 20 minutes or until very soft and the tomatoes start to deflate. Set aside.

3. 3

   3. Line another baking sheet with tinfoil. Preheat the broiler. Trim the asparagus ends and toss with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper. Broil for 5-10 minutes, shaking the baking sheet every 2 minutes or so. NOTE: My broiler can be set to medium, but it's important to keep checking the asparagus so they don't burn. You want the asparagus to have a bit of a char at the tips and the stems to soften and start turning a little golden. Set aside.

4. 4

   4. Cook the pasta in unsalted water according to package directions. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of pasta water and strain the rest in a colander. Return the cooked pasta to the pot and stir in the pesto, adding some of the pasta water if it needs to be thinned a bit. Gently toss in the roasted tomatoes and asparagus, adjust seasonings. Serve hot or chill and serve cold.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.