Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Place the halved tomatoes on a baking dish. Cut the top off the whole garlic head to expose the cloves and place it next to the tomatoes.

Drizzle everything with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Then cover the baking dish with kitchen foil and place it back in the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes are blistered and caramelized, and the garlic is soft.

While the tomatoes and garlic roast, cook the pasta in heavily salted water according to package instructions. Remember to reserve about 240ml (1 cup) of pasta cooking water before draining.

Once the roasting is done, squeeze the soft garlic cloves out of their skins and put them into a blender.

Add the roasted tomatoes, a handful of fresh basil leaves, and chilli flakes if using.

Then, add ricotta cheese and about 60ml (1/4 cup) of the reserved pasta cooking water. Blend until smooth.

In a large skillet or pan, combine the blended tomato mixture with the cooked pasta. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.

Heat over medium heat until everything is warmed through. If the sauce is too dry, add more pasta cooking water.

Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.

Serve the roasted tomato and garlic ricotta pasta in bowls, garnished with fresh basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese.