The Cleopatra of Sicily

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Add tomatoes to a baking dish then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Add thyme, oregano, and garlic and toss to coat. Kiss the tomatoes with the brown sugar, sprinkling it on top in an even layer.
2. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to blister as if they were scorched by the Sicilian sun. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. While the tomatoes bake, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
4. To make the pesto add basil, garlic, cheese, pine nuts, pistachios, and olive oil to a high-speed blender or food processor. Pretend to use a mortar and pestle, but when no one is looking just blitz the pesto in the machine instead until smooth. Add the ricotta and process again until it is slightly whipped and creamy.
5. When the pasta water reaches a rolling boil, salt the water generously so it tastes like a well-seasoned soup. Add your pasta and cook until very al dente, which will be slightly more than half of the suggested cooking time on the package. Drain the pasta but watch over the tears of the god as if they belong to Cleopatra herself.
6. Add the pasta to a large, deep sauté pan and add about ¾ of the tomatoes (reserve the rest for garnish). Add the pesto and a ladle of pasta water and set the pan over a whisper of a flame. Stir the pasta lovingly, adding more pasta water as needed, until a creamy, irresistible sauce forms and the pasta is cooked through to al dente.
7. Plate the pasta in warm pasta bowls, then garnish with reserved roasted tomatoes, a scrunch of pepper, and a crown of fresh basil.

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