Garlic Butter Spaghettini with Oven Roasted Tomatoes

I know I know I have been going on about "eating right" and "low carb food" and "*other-nice-healthy-food-words*" but it isn't the worst thing to splurge once in a while.. is it? It is? Well, sue me, I did anyway!

Seriously though, when I do splurge, I try and make it worth my while by cooking something I really enjoy. This doesn't necessarily mean a decadent, gonna-carry-this-guilt-around-for-weeks kind of meal. It almost always more of a relatively light but carby meal with some fresh ingredients that leave me feeling good. Like Dosa with Onion+Tomato Chutney. Or Jeera Rice with some spicy Moong Dal +Applam. Heaven indeed. What can I say, I got a bad case of rice-lovin'!

A couple of weeks back again, I found myself craving something starchy and home-made. One of those days where it just HAD to be had! With no dosa batter and no rice whatsoever at my disposal (curse me for purging my house of carbs), I had to rummage through my pantry to piece together a meal from my secret stash. Boy, am I glad I did....

Garlic Butter Spaghettini with Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients
3/4th of a box of spaghettini
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 pods of garlic, chopped
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, Toasted in the oven for 10 minutes at 325F and roughly chopped
1 tbsp dried oregano
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) + more for drizzling
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

This recipe serves 2

1. Prepare the pasta al dente as instructed on the box. Be sure to salt the boiling water generously before adding in the pasta.
2. Toss the halved cherry tomatoes in a bowl with 1 pod of chopped garlic and 2 tbsp EVOO. Mix well, spread out on a baking sheet, drizzle with the EVOO and roast in the oven for 30 minutes at 325F.
3. Melt the butter in a pan and throw in the 3 remaining pods of chopped garlic. Keep the heat relatively low so as to not burn the garlic. Saute until soft and fragrant. Add in the chopped basil and saute till it wilts. Finally add the toasted nuts, roasted cherry tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix everything well while still keeping the heat relatively low.
4. Finally, fold in the cooked spaghettini with tongs until all the the ingredients mix well and the pasta comes together.

Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!