Scatter halved raw cherry tomatoes over dry bowtie pasta, paired with 3 more ingredients, into a ceramic baking pan for a comforting meal that disappears faster than anything else

This little oven-baked cherry tomato pasta reminds me of the kind of no-fuss casseroles you’d find on a farmhouse table after a long day in the fields. It uses just five ingredients and leans on a very Amish-style practicality: dry bowtie pasta goes straight into a ceramic baking pan, then you simply scatter halved raw cherry tomatoes over the top, tuck in a few more pantry staples, and let the oven do the work. The tomatoes burst and mingle with cream and cheese to make their own sauce, and what comes out is the sort of comforting dish that always seems to disappear faster than anything else on the table.

Serve this warm right out of the ceramic baking pan with a simple green salad—leaf lettuce with a little vinegar and oil feels especially old-fashioned and right. A side of buttered peas or steamed green beans fits the Midwestern table nicely, and a slice of crusty bread or a soft dinner roll helps mop up the creamy tomato sauce. For a heartier spread, pair it with baked chicken or a skillet of sausage, and finish the meal with something homey like applesauce or a fruit crisp.

Servings: 4

8 ounces dry bowtie (farfalle) pasta

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Set out a medium ceramic baking pan, about 8x11 inches or similar. There is no need to grease it.

Pour the dry bowtie pasta evenly into the bottom of the ceramic baking pan, spreading it so it covers the surface in a single layer as much as possible.

Scatter the halved raw cherry tomatoes over the dry pasta, letting them fall into the nooks and crannies. Try to spread them fairly evenly so every scoop later has plenty of tomatoes.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese over the tomatoes and pasta, reserving the remaining 1/2 cup for the end.

In a measuring cup or bowl, stir the whole milk together with the kosher salt until the salt is mostly dissolved. Carefully pour this mixture over the pasta and tomatoes in the pan, tilting the pan gently so the liquid settles in and around the pasta. The pasta should be mostly submerged; if it looks very dry, add another splash of milk or a few tablespoons of water.

Cover the ceramic baking pan tightly with foil, crimping the edges so steam can build up inside. Place the pan on the middle rack of the preheated oven.

Bake, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pasta is mostly tender when you test a piece from the center and the tomatoes are soft and starting to break down.

Carefully remove the foil—watch for hot steam—and give the pasta a gentle stir, making sure to bring any drier pieces from the corners down into the sauce. If it seems too thick or the pasta is still a bit firm, stir in 1/4 cup more milk or hot water.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar evenly over the top. Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly bubbly and the pasta is fully tender.

Let the dish rest on the counter for about 5 minutes so the sauce can thicken slightly. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed before serving warm straight from the ceramic baking pan.

For a little more richness, you can replace up to half of the milk with half-and-half or light cream, keeping the total liquid amount the same. A handful of shredded mozzarella mixed in with the cheddar will give you a stretchier, more casserole-like top. If you like a bit of tang, stir 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan into the pasta when you remove the foil, right before adding the final sprinkle of cheddar. To make it more of a one-pan meal, you can toss in 1 cup of cooked, crumbled sausage or diced leftover ham when you scatter the cherry tomatoes over the dry pasta, making sure everything is spread evenly. For added color and nutrition, a cup of frozen peas or corn can be stirred in at the same stage; they will cook through as the pasta bakes. Because this recipe bakes pasta and dairy together, be sure to use fresh, cold milk and cheese that have been properly refrigerated. Keep raw ingredients out at room temperature only as long as needed to assemble the dish, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of baking in a shallow container so they cool quickly. Reheat leftovers until steaming hot all the way through before serving, and discard any pasta that has been left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Always handle the hot ceramic baking pan with thick oven mitts and open the foil away from your face to avoid steam burns.