Tomato Celebration

Thank heavens tomatoes are back! I really can't get enough tomatoes when they come into season and I wait impatiently for them all year long, particularly heirlooms. We eat them every way we can think of (you'll be seeing a lot of them for the next few months!), and one of our favorite dishes, and the first thing I ever cooked for Jack, is a pasta recipe, taken from that old '80s go-to The Silver Palate Cookbook. As with most of the recipes in the book, this is not low calorie, light, or particularly healthy. But, oh, it's so damned good... we call it seduction food. I recently advised my daughter to make it for her boyfriend, swearing to her that he "will look at you like you're a goddess once he tastes it!"

However, goddesses don't need to be heavy, so I've lightened it up a lot by reducing the amount of olive oil and cheese (the original called for heart-stopping amounts of both!).

This is an old post with new (better) photos. It was originally posted 2 years ago and has gone unnoticed all this time (nobody ever visited back then), so I decided to dust it off and freshen it up. The recipe deserves it.

Linguine with Tomatoes and Basil
adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook
serves 4

4 large ripe tomatoes (I prefer a mix of red and yellow heirloom, or Jersey), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 pound of brie, rind removed, torn into small pieces
1 cup of fresh basil leaves, cut into strips
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound linguine

Combine the tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature at least two hours. Add the brie about an hour before you want to eat.

Cook and drain the linguine and toss with the rest of the ingredients. Serve immediately.

Be sure to have some good crusty bread for soaking up all the lovely garlic-y juices!

Comments

[M]

This sounds perfect! I'm really interested in trying the technique of leaving them to meld with the basil and garlic at room temperature.

[bee]

your tomatoes are so gorgeous. so are your pics.