fresh tomato pasta.

September 9, 2014

fresh tomato pasta Like most of the recipes that I bother to share in this space, this is less of a guideline and more of a plea. A plea to get yourself to a farmers’ market (or to your very own plot of earth) and pick up the last of the summertime tomatoes before they’re gone and you’re left to wallow in your tomatoless greif. fresh tomato pasta If I’ve said it once (and I have), I’ve said it a thousand times: late-season tomatoes are the best ones. One can grow weary from all the crowing about heirloom tomatoes, but then you bite through the thin, mottled skin, and you’re reminded why you just paid your weight in gold for the privilege. My favorite way to honor the flavors is to eat as much fresh tomato pasta as often as I possibly can.
fresh tomato pasta The key to this recipe is excess. Not only should you eat ungodly amounts of the finished product, you should also use more salt than seems reasonable, chop more tomatoes than you think you need, use the entire bunch of basil, not a few measly leaves, and decide to go whole hog and slice the whole ball of mozzarella. Boil a pound of pasta and don’t stop yourself from having seconds. fresh tomato pasta I like to salt my tomatoes first and let them stew in their own briney juices while the pasta boils.fresh tomato pasta If you find yourself with a blister pack of basil, use all of it. If you find yourself with a large bunch from a farmer-friend, use all of that, too. Step-by-step instructions below!

fresh tomato pasta

Fresh Tomato Pasta

1 pound pasta (any shape’ll do)
4-5 heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 large bunch basil, chopped
1 large ball fresh mozzarella, cubed*
A generous glug of olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

1. Roughly chop a collection of your favorite heirloom tomatoes. (There are no rules about how many tomatoes to use, or which kinds. Let your heart be your guide. I like to use as varied a group as possible.) Put tomatoes and all of their juices into a large bowl.

2. Salt tomatoes liberally and add cubed mozzarella and black pepper to taste. Coat with a generous glug of olive oil and set aside.

3. Boil pasta in salted water. Once cooked, drain quickly, retaining some of the pasta water.

4. Add hot pasta to the chopped tomatoes and mozzarella. Stir in the chopped basil. Add pasta water if you need it (though the tomato juices will ideally be liquid enough).

5. Serve immediately. The dish will be warm, not piping hot, which is exactly what late-summer weather calls for.

fresh tomato pasta *There are near limitless ways to alter this recipe to suit personal taste and the contents of your refrigerator. A hard cheese like a pecorino or a parmesan would be as lovely as a mozzarella. The addition of fresh corn, cut directly from the cob is delightful. A hearty sprinkling of hot pepper spices things right up. The only mistake you can really make is not making it at all.

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25 Comments

  • Reply Linda Zimmerman September 9, 2014 at 12:36 pm

    yum – made this last night with the addition of fresh local corn – basil from MY garden – it was delicious!!!!! photos are beautiful.

    • Reply Erin September 9, 2014 at 1:23 pm

      You grow girl 😉

  • Reply Sarah Noel September 9, 2014 at 1:17 pm

    Delicious! We just picked up the most gorgeous heirlooms from the Fort Greene market this weekend and made a tomato salad that has pretty much been my only sustenance for the last three days. It's so good I don't want anything else!

    • Reply Erin September 9, 2014 at 1:22 pm

      So great! Did you get yours from Hector Tejada? James and I both used to run one of his stands in Union Square but he's always at Fort Greene! He has the best tomatoes (and more competively priced than other guys)!

  • Reply Jacquelyn | lark & linen September 9, 2014 at 2:04 pm

    My kind of recipe!

  • Reply Kimberly September 9, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    I've made this a million times. I usually cut up and season tomatoes just after I get home from the farmers market and let it marinate on the counter until dinner time. So good and so perfect for the end of summer. Adding a nice rose to drink doesn't hurt either.

    • Reply Erin September 10, 2014 at 12:48 am

      Yum—the longer the better. Adding a nice rosé never hurts, does it?

  • Reply Kristina September 9, 2014 at 3:03 pm

    Definitely one of my favorite summer dishes. I however use feta cheese instead of the mozzarella and really love that too. You should give it a try if you are into goat cheese 🙂

    • Reply Erin September 10, 2014 at 12:47 am

      Mmmm, will have to!

  • Reply annette September 9, 2014 at 3:22 pm

    I make a dish similar to this with a good glug of balsamic vinegar too and my favorite add ons of pine nuts and avocado. Whole wheat penne is my pasta of choice.

    • Reply Erin September 10, 2014 at 12:49 am

      Yum! I've gone the balsamic route before, too! Delicious!

  • Reply Anonymous September 9, 2014 at 4:32 pm

    Thanks for the recipe. We grow heirloom tomatoes and they are in abundance in our small terrace garden right now.

  • Reply Kay H September 9, 2014 at 5:08 pm

    Oh, this looks so good! We just bought 30 pounds of tomatoes (for only $10, too!) the other day and I've been trying to brain storm what to do with all of them. Definitely going to have to give this a try.

    • Reply Erin September 10, 2014 at 12:47 am

      Amazing! Hope you try it!

  • Reply DontBlameTheKids September 9, 2014 at 5:19 pm

    I love a recipe where excess is the key to success! My mouth is watering.

    • Reply Erin September 10, 2014 at 12:49 am

      Ha! Me too!

  • Reply KUTAKCREATIVE September 9, 2014 at 9:48 pm

    this recipe looks delightful, light and easy to make. i don't like tomatoes on their own and have never been able to just grab one and bite into it. however, in a recipe like this, i definitely love them.

    • Reply Erin September 10, 2014 at 12:49 am

      oh, good!

  • Reply Alexa September 10, 2014 at 12:33 am

    oh, yum! i am living this week on the bunch of tomatoes i bought at the union square market over the weekend – they are divine!

  • Reply JAG September 10, 2014 at 12:41 am

    Mmm, yes. I make ours with (lots of) shredded ricotta salata. Yum.

  • Reply Anonymous September 10, 2014 at 2:29 am

    Hi Erin, I was wondering what camera you use for photos on your blog. Thanks!

  • Reply Allie September 10, 2014 at 4:18 pm

    THANK YOU for this recipe. My husband and I made it last night and it was just as promised – perfectly summery, and has given me a new appreciation for those tomatoes!

  • Reply Diana September 11, 2014 at 3:02 am

    i just shared this with my husband! i believe we'll be making it sometime this weekend. yay!

  • Reply Katie Bedlow September 12, 2014 at 7:26 pm

    Scrumptious!! My homegrown tomatoes are almost ready to be picked, this will be the first recipe on my list! Such gorgeous rich colours!

  • Reply Whitney September 16, 2014 at 7:57 pm

    This was such a good way to use the best tomatoes of the season… thank you!

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