we are at the beginning of the magical weeks of tomatoes. during this time of year, tomatoes are in their literal sweet spot. bursting with flavor and requiring little to nothing, except maybe a sprinkle of salt. as a little girl, I used to walk through my grandmother’s garden with the salt shaker from her countertop in my pocket and forage the summer’s bounty. for every few in the basket, there would be one for me to consume on the spot.
there are no gardens for me to roam currently but, right now every market is bursting with summer’s offerings, a troubling and pricey predicament for me at times. one fresh pint of sungolds just wouldn’t do, I needed to double down and purchase the black cherry varietal too. sungolds own my heart but are gracious to allow room for complementary friends. I am the woman with one too many tomatoes and fresh herbs during this summertime, requiring me to utilize all things before they spoil. enter the sweet spot pasta that can be made in the time it takes the water to boil and cook the noodles to the perfect al dente. tomatoes cook quickly in at a higher heat on the stove, slightly blistering and bursting. the pink hued garnish is none other than beet sprouts that taste earthy with a faint touch of heat.
modify the noodles, the tomato varieties, just don’t try and push an herb marriage that isn’t meant to be - go for complementary. I imagine my grandmother would enjoy this pasta dish if she were here with me today and let me push her to buy some flaky salt. of course she would oblige my enthusiasm, but remind me to not be too touchy. link in bio for this quick and satisfying recipe.
serves 2 or 1 if you’re awesome
½ cup of good olive oil, split in two
.5 pound of short dried pasta-I used casarecce
1 cup of small tomato varietal-I used half sungold & black cherry
½ of a yellow onion, saute sliced
2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
4 large basil leaves julienned sliced
¼ cup of parsley leaves and a little of their stems, roughly chopped
a small handful of spicy micro greens of beets greens-like I used
2 tbsp of quality balsamic vinegar
grated sharp cheese like pecorino or parmesan
salt and pepper to season along and finish
bring a pot of salted water to a boil. while that comes to a boil, heat ½ of the olive oil over a medium low heat in a medium size saute pan. gently drop the onions into the heated oil and stir to coat in oil, they should sizzle when they hit the pan. about three minutes of cooking and occasional tossing, add the garlic. season with a pinch of salt and crack of pepper. drop the pasta into the boiling salted water, reduce the water to a rolling simmer and stir the noodles and cook to about one minute less than the instructions on the package. turn the heat of the saute pan up to a medium high temperature and drop the tomatoes into the mix. gently toss and stir, releasing the juices from the tomatoes naturally as they burst open. moving quickly and with a slotted spoon, scoop the pasta directly into the saute pan, do not drain the noodles. once all of the pasta is in the saute pan, reduce the heat to a low simmer and continue to toss and coat, adding the vinegar, remaining oil and more salt and pepper to taste. cook about one minute longer with everything together, thoroughly tossing ingredients together.
plate the pasta into two dishes and garnish with all herbs, and finish with grated cheese, plus more salt and pepper. enjoy!