Bring on the Tomatoes!

July 15, 2011

Our local co-op has recently begun to offer organic heirloom tomatoes that are simply too gorgeous to pass up. I became tantalized with the many ways I could enjoy them and opted for this start-of-the-season favorite: Butter Basil Tomato Pasta.

Ingredients:

tomatoes!
butter
fresh basil
pasta

Preparation:

melt a stick of butter (gasp!) over a low flame
add the tomatoes, coarsely chopped, cooking them down until they become somewhat soft
add torn basil leaves (there’s no such thing as too much basil…)
simmer on low, stirring occasionally, until the delicious aroma overtakes you!
while this masterpiece was simmering, you have of course, boiled the water and cooked the pasta until it reached the perfect al dente texture.
drain the water from the cooked pasta and mix it into the sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and ENJOY!

DISCLAIMER(S):

1. Yes, of course you can use olive oil in this sauce, as I have done many times. I’ve also made this sauce with a half-stick of butter and added 1/3 cup of olive oil. Let me tell you though that using just the butter gives this sauce a divinely rich flavor that is superior to the flavor of olive oil alone. Trust me. And knowing what I know about fats, cholesterol, and nutrition, I am personally giving you permission to use butter for this meal — organic, sweet butter. Your life will be forever changed…

2. Sigh. I cherish a free-flow cooking experience and rarely measure any ingredient when cooking, which is reflected in the recipes that I share. This might be challenging or even frustrating for you, which believe me, is not my intention. This is the moment to liberate yourself from the rigidity of following a strict recipe and enjoy the flow of cooking confidence. This may mean that no meal will ever tastes the same way twice, but that each one is uniquely delicious!

3. No garlic or onion are used in this recipe, although I love both flavors and regularly use both in most of the other creations that come from my kitchen. Not this dish, though. The simplicity and full richness of the tomato, basil and butter is so intoxicating that it would be a totally different meal with a shadow of garlic or onion. Again, trust me on this.

Bon Appetit!

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Robin Mallery

Robin Mallery is passionate about food! Starting from where and how it's grown, to how far that food travels to the dinner table, to how it is prepared and savored...Robin blends shopping, cooking, and eating tips with her unique Kitchen Zen and mindful meals approach to enjoying real food.

While you are waiting for her to finish the upcoming book, "Kitchen Zen: The Journey to Nourish Body and Soul in Our Changing World", you can find Robin's sporadic blog posts here or on FaceBook.