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Fresh Tomato and Garlic Pasta

August 22, 2014
by Cornelia Emlen
Serves: 4
Easy, quick and intensely flavorful, this recipe may be destined to become a work-night favorite. I call it “I’m hungry now!” Pasta with Tomatoes.
Ingredients
  • 4 medium to large ripe tomatoes, diced
  • 1½ - 2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 12 – 14 ounces fresh pasta
  • 10 cloves of garlic
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • few tablespoons of olive oil
Farmers to You Ingredients:
Other Fresh and Pantry Ingredients:
  • salt, butter, olive oil
Instructions
  1. Wash, core and chop tomatoes. Place tomatoes along with all their juice in a bowl. Season with salt. (The salt draws the moisture out of the tomatoes.)
  2. Cut basil into thin ribbon-like strips. Add a third of it to the tomatoes.
  3. Peel and finely mince garlic. Set aside.
  4. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the fresh pasta and cook to specifications on package. Drain, return to its pot and toss with a small amount of olive oil so that the pasta won’t stick to itself.
  5. Heat a tablespoon or less of olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook carefully for a couple of minutes, so that the garlic begins to soften but does not burn. Add a bit of salt.
  6. Hold a colander over the skillet and pour your tomatoes into it. Gently press the tomatoes with a large spoon, urging the juice into the pan below. When all the juice has dripped through, place the colander with the tomatoes on a plate. Set aside.
  7. Simmer the garlic and tomato water. After a few minutes add the butter and stir until melted. The tomato-garlic-butter sauce will be brown and slightly thickened.
  8. Gently place the pasta in the pan with the sauce until it is completely coated. Divide pasta into individual bowls and top with tomatoes and basil.
Variation: Try this sauce on fish or chicken.