This time of the year is my favorite (just in case I haven’t said it enough already), and one of the reasons I love it so much is the produce. Namely, the exquisite tomatoes.
As I’ve already said, I do not have fortune of having the green thumb possessed by my mother, aunt, and cousin. I planted 3 tomato plants this year and ended up with a meager 5 tomatoes. My mom, however, planted 2 tomato plants and has produced enough tomatoes to keep all of us in caprese salad for a couple of weeks now, with no indication of slowing production.
There are times that I find myself with more tomatoes than I know what to do with. When this happens, I worry that these lovely homegrown tomatoes will go bad, as one can only eat so much tomato salad.
On these evenings, I use up these extra delicious tomatoes by making a simple dish of pasta, basil, garlic, and tomatoes.
A dish like this is so simple it needs little fanfare and explanation. So with that, this month’s easy weeknight meal is a celebration of the produce of the season.
- Pasta & Tomatoes
- 2 Cups Halved or Chopped Homegrown Tomatoes (you want to keep the size similar, so how you cut them will depend on the type of tomatoes you use)
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Handful Julienned Basil Leaves (or 2 Teaspoons of Dried Basil)
- 4 Cloves of Garlic
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ Cup Red Wine
- One box of Pasta of your choice
- Boil Pasta according to directions on the package.
- Half or Chop Tomatoes so they are all of uniform size and will cook evenly.
- Heat Olive Oil in skillet and sauté Garlic.
- Add Garlic Powder and Tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add Wine and cook for 1-3 more minutes.
- Top Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Parmesan Cheese if desired.
Leave a Reply