Garlicky Garden Tomato Pasta
From Budapest inspiration to California gardens, the 20-minute summer pasta that keeps the kitchen cool
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My mom says I got my green thumb from my great-grandfather Jesse, who spent his free time gardening in Hagerstown, Indiana. My grandpa John and Dad also loved to garden. Maybe I got the knack from my great-grandpa and learned skills by watching my grandpa and dad. Nature vs. nurture? Either way, I’m lucky to have the family gardening bug. I love dirt! On my hands. In my wine.
My grandparents lived by a cornfield across from Miller’s Supper Club. Grandpa John, a friend of Jack, the owner, became the master gardener of the restaurant garden. All summer, the garden bloomed with colorful flowers, vegetables, and grew thyme, basil, and lavender. Farm-to-table pioneers in the early ’70s. After helping Grandpa, my sisters and I snuck into the corn maze to pick corncobs for dinner.
When I planted my first garden in Palo Alto, my neighbor, a master gardener, suggested lettuce, tomatoes, and roses. I learned how sweet homegrown lettuce can be. My roses were the envy of the neighborhood. But I fell for tomatoes. Once planted, they take off! The only challenge: everyone likes them—the birds, squirrels, and hornworms.
A few years later, I planted a grapevine, secretly planning to make wine. After several moves and replantings, it finally produced grapes ten years later at my dad’s house. I never made the wine, but the grapes were delightfully sweet and juicy.
Now that it’s midsummer and the heat peaks across the country, my garlicky tomato pasta is a welcome alternative to using a hot oven.
Inspired by garlic Alfredo fettuccine I loved in Budapest, my Garlicky Tomato Pasta gets a California twist: lighter, with bright, juicy vegetables and garden herbs. And voilà, my recipe was born.
Garlicky Garden Tomato Pasta
Sweet, juicy plum tomatoes; aromas of oregano, basil, and sweet garlic; creamy, salty Parmesan cheese. Believe me, the smell-o-vision is real. A dish for the senses, healthy and good for you, and it fills your belly.
Serves 4
Time: 20 minutes
Kitchen Tools
Ingredients
10 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. kosher salt
20 oz. mini plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
4 cups Parmesan cheese, shaved
1 16 oz. package capellini pasta (angel hair)
4 drizzles basil olive oil
Instructions
Prepare garlicky tomatoes 2 hours in advance.
Mince 10 garlic cloves and mash with 2 tsp kosher salt in a bowl. Chop tomatoes and add to the bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
Prepare your pasta dish.
Fill your pot three-quarters full with water. Add a handful of salt. Heat on high. When it boils, cook your pasta.
In the meantime, chop your oregano, then chiffonade your basil. Add herbs to your garlicky, salty, tomato mix. Shave 4 cups of Parmesan cheese, then set aside.
Once your water is boiling, add the pasta to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes. When ready, reserve a quarter cup of pasta water, then strain your pasta.
Serve pasta in bowls. Top with the tomato mix, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Parmesan, and serve for a crowd, or add a side salad.
Notes:
Garlic courtesy of a friend, who knows a friend, who runs a farm in Ohio: Orion Organics.
Neutral EVOO works if you lack basil olive oil.
If you find the garlic a bit too garlicky, add a bit of the reserved pasta water to soften the flavor.
Pairing:
Pair your dish with a light-bodied red wine like Rascal Pinot Noir from Dundee, Oregon, available at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. Or try a Pinot Noir from Coastal Sonoma County. If you prefer white wine, reach for a crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc.
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Oh, my! This recipe looks DELIZIOSO!!!! I can hardly wait to make it! And, as always, love the "origin" story that accompanies the recipe! Grazie Mille!!!!