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We’re enjoying the bountiful varieties of tomatoes from our CSA.

With Matt’s talent for making homemade pasta combined with the fresh farm tomatoes, we’ve got the whole flavorful world in our hands.

We’ve been making this dish about once a week since the tomatoes began arriving. It captures the fresh feel of summer and you don’t have to peel the tomatoes like cooked fresh tomato sauce. This recipe is perfection with hand-made pasta but a fine-second with store bought. Last night, short on time, we used Trader Joe’s bow tie pasta and it was a nice compliment.

Raw Summer Tomato Sauce for Pasta
from Lidia’s Family Table by Lidia Matticchio

Makes 3 to 4 cups, enough to sauce 1 pound of dry pasta

• 2 pounds ripe summer tomatoes, preferably heirloom varieties in a mix of colors and shapes
• 3 to 4 plump garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 large basil leaves (about 3 tbs shredded)
• 1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes, or more or less to taste
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup or more grated Parmesan-reggiano or cubed fresh mozzarella (optional)

1.Rinse tomatoes and wipe dry. Over a large mixing bowl, cut tomatoes into 1 inch chunks (cherry tomatoes in half), removing the core and any hard parts. Drop them into bowl along with juices.
2.Smash the garlic cloves with a chef’s knife and chop into a fine paste. This is easier if you add some of the salt as you chop;mash the garlic bits with the flat side of the knife too. Scatter the garlic paste and rest of salt over the tomatoes and stir gently.
3.Pile the basil leaves and slice into thin strips. Strew these over the tomatoes, then the pepper flakes. Pour in the oil, stir, and fold, to coat the tomatoes and distribute the seasonings.
4.Cover the bow with plastic wrap and let it marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Toss the marinated sauce with freshly cooked and drained pasta. Serve as it, or toss in 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiana.  For additional complexity, you could add 1 cup or more cubed fresh mozzarella.

Notes: This is not the recipe to skip the fresh basil and used dried as substitute. Raid your neighbor’s garden or shell out the 3 bucks at the grocery store. We don’t add the cheese (since I am eating dairy free at the moment) but the rest of the family enjoys parmesan sprinkled on top.We have skipped the hot pepper flakes. The is good warm with the fresh pasta but it’s also good cold from the fridge the next day.