Rigatoni with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

The market continues its steady climb. I had 4 showings this week and 1 offers. My reputation precedes me now — the Greek agent who tells the truth about roofs and brings food to open houses. Worse reputations exist.

I drove to Tarpon Springs for Sunday dinner. The drive takes forty minutes if the traffic behaves. It never behaves. But I make the drive because the table at Mama's house is non-negotiable, and Sunday dinner is the thread that holds this family together.

Mama is 86 and still at the bakery at 4 AM. I do not know how much longer she will do this. I do not ask. You do not ask Voula Papadopoulos about endings. You stand next to her and roll phyllo and trust that the beginning continues as long as the hands are moving.

I made gigantes plaki — giant beans baked in tomato sauce until creamy and collapsing. Peasant food elevated to poetry by olive oil and time. I served it with bread and olive oil — always too much olive oil, because in this family there is no such thing as too much. We ate and the conversation was easy and the evening was warm.

Sophia told me this week that she is proud of me. I was not expecting it. We were in the car, driving to Tarpon Springs for Sunday dinner, and she said Mom, I am proud of you. I said for what. She said for everything. For the bakery. For the houses. For making dinner every night even when you are tired. I gripped the steering wheel and blinked and said thank you, koritsi mou. She said do not cry. I did not cry. Much.

The gigantes were for Mama’s table — that dish belongs to Tarpon Springs, to the old kitchen, to hands that have been making it for sixty years. But when Sophia said what she said in the car, I wanted to cook something that felt like an answer. Something that carried sweetness alongside the weight of all that gratitude. This rigatoni — roasted sweet potatoes folded into pasta, warm and honest on the plate — is what I made the following evening, still holding her words, still not quite ready to let the feeling go.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

12 oz rigatoni pasta
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Roast the sweet potatoes. Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss sweet potato cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until tender and caramelized at the edges.
Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
Build the sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly so the garlic does not burn.
Combine everything. Add the drained rigatoni to the skillet along with the roasted sweet potatoes. Pour in the reserved pasta water and toss gently to coat. Stir in the Parmesan and sage, and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Serve. Divide among bowls and finish with extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Rigatoni with Roasted Sweet Potatoes — The Table That Holds Us Together