End of Summer Pasta
It's funny. While I think that I feel ready for fall, my actions show that I'm still holding onto summer. At Trader Joe's this week, the kind cashier pointed out that a large component of my groceries were ice cream, coffee, and wine with a good smattering of summer vegetables to round things out and to make life balanced. I laughed when he noticed and then examined my items more closely noting that all the wines I chose were whites and roses, that I had 3 pounds of tomatoes, 4 pounds of peaches, and not yet one item purchased for the lunch box lunches that will commence after Labor Day.
It seems that there is something that I'm trying to hold onto. Maybe it's the non-scheduled days, the shorts and tank tops, my silver Birkenstocks sandals, the wonderful produce...or, perhaps I'm not ready for the first full season of my baby's young life to come to an end. Maybe I'm not actually ready to say goodbye to the crazy days of Mama, Jack, and Rigby trying to find their way in their new roles of stay-at-home Mama of TWO, big brother, and new human
Although I feel ready and excited for Jack to begin his school journey and for the routine it will bring to our lives, maybe I do just need a few more days to hold onto the longer, warmer days of summer and, a few more dinners celebrating the season with a glass of chilled white wine. Because, while I can't hold onto summer, I also don't have to rush it away.
This is a very good, very simple pasta dish that I find impossible to eat just one bowl of. The flavors marinade nicely so that when you are ready to combine the pasta with the tomatoes, the garlic has imparted its flavor in a mellow, earthy way and the crushed red peppers provide a nice little kick of spice that is almost unnoticeable.
End of Summer Pasta
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup olive oil
6 cloves of garlic
20 basil leaves, julienned
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound capellini pasta
Plenty of grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Combine the grape tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Cover the bowl and set aside on the counter for about 4 hours.
Just before you're ready to eat, bring a large pot of water with a splash of olive oil and salt to a boil and add the pasta. Cook al dente according to the directions on the package, only about 3-4 minutes. Drain the pasta well and add to the bowl with the tomatoes. Serve in bowls and top each pasta serving with plenty of Parmesan cheese.
recipe adapted from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa