Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Pasta Malafemmina

Although fall is just around the corner, inspiring visions of the pumpkin pies, simmering soups, and steaming cups of hot chocolate to come, summer is still very much clinging on, outside as well as inside my kitchen. Usually I am ready for fall within the first couple of weeks of the sweltering Central Valley summer, but this time I'm holding on a bit - mainly because I'm still enjoying the myriad of produce the summer brings.

Indeed, I'm not quite ready to give up my favorites, such as the beautiful red, yellow, and orange tomatoes I used for this dish. But, luckily, I still have a few more weeks to get my fill before jumping headfirst into fall!

This recipe was inspired by a pasta dish I had while in Italy (Check it out here!). The original dish I had was literally one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. I didn't know exactly what went into it, but I of course wanted to try it out as soon as I got home. I knew the original had a very light tomato sauce, which was probably more olive oil than tomato, so I started there. Then I added in a healthy helping of capers, some kalamata olives, and a few other ingredients I discerned from taste and picture. It turned out very yummy!


Getting Started





I started by cutting up the beautiful tomatoes I picked up at my local fruit stand. It's important that you use ripe tomatoes for this, and preferably fruit stand tomatoes. If you can't find yellow and orange tomatoes, red will work just fine, and if you don't have a fruit stand or farmers market near by you can use cherry tomatoes or roma tomatoes - they will have far more flavor than their grocery chain counterparts. The original dish looked like it used cherry tomatoes, but I fell in love with the colorful varieties I came across and couldn't resist!


After cutting up your tomatoes, simply toss them into a skillet on medium heat with a healthy drink of olive oil - at least a couple of tablespoons - more if you're brave! I'm so used to cooking light that this was hard for me, and probably the main reason my dish didn't taste quite the same as the original. I'm okay with that, though, and so are my jeans.

While your tomatoes are simmering, prepare the rest of the ingredients and throw them in as you go. This is also a good time to get your pasta going. The tomatoes take about 30 minutes to cook down, so time your pasta accordingly with package directions for al dente. The original pasta dish I used for inspiration used spaghetti noodles, but I had spiral on hand, so that's what went into the pot! Feel free to use what you like.

Wrapping it Up


Once your pasta is ready and the sauce has cooked down a bit, simply toss and serve! Make sure not to reduce the sauce too much, since you want it to be light. I love this recipe because the combination of capers and kalamata olives gives it a nice zesty flavor, and the fresh tomatoes and lemon juice brighten up what could otherwise turn into a heavy pasta dish. It's perfect for recapturing a bit of summer as we head on to the next seasonal chapter, and is definitely one of my new favorite pasta dishes.








Ingredients

Spiral Pasta (1/2 bag)
3 large red tomatoes
2 large yellow tomatoes
Couple of handfuls of orange cherry tomatoes (about 20)
1 Tbs capers
Pinch of dried oregano leaves (1/2 tsp)
2 pinches of coarse salt
1 small or ½ large garlic clove, minced
Juice from ½ fresh lemon
1 Large spoonful of kalamata olive halves (make sure to drain well)

Servings: About 4

Bonus Appetizer!

 


While the sauce is simmering and the pasta is boiling away, why not use your leftover tomatoes to make a yummy bruschetta? I can't think of any reason why not! Slice up a dense bread of your choosing (dense meaning smaller air bubbles) and drizzle each side with olive oil. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until golden, then rub each piece with a raw garlic clove - this will give you just the right amount of garlic without being overpowering. Top with a mix of diced tomatoes, fresh or dried basil, salt, and a little more olive oil. This one is always a crowd pleaser!

For a full bruschetta recipe, check out my Tomato Basil Bruschetta with Whole Grain Bread! 



Pin It
Thanks for reading my blog! Please leave your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, or meals you would like to see me cook, in the comments below. Follow, share, and enjoy!

pic name pic name pic name pic name

8 comments:

  1. Really impressed! Everything is very open and very clear explanation of issues. It contains truly information. Your website is very useful.

    goggy games
    friv for kids Games
    y8 games 2 player

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are incredible! Thanks! It’s perfect time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I want to suggest you some interesting things or suggestions. Maybe you could write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read more things about it!
    jogos io 2019
    friv Games play
    2player for free

    ReplyDelete
  3. An interesting dialogue is price comment. I feel that it is best to write more on this matter, it may not be a taboo topic however usually individuals are not enough to talk on such topics. To the next. Cheers.
    Bandar Judi Online Terbaik

    ReplyDelete
  4. TWC Router Login allows router and modem users to log in, set up and access TWC router configuration and settings page.

    It is necessary to complete TWC router login and TWC router setup step in order to make the router network for the internet usage.Website link

    ReplyDelete
  5. Providing a smart Kroger Employee Benefits package is critical for attracting top talent and retaining valuable employees. Today, employee benefits play a vital role when candidates consider accepting a job offer.

    Mylifeatkroger

    ReplyDelete
  6. Papa Murphy’s Customer Satisfaction Survey will present the company’s management a chance to get to know their customers better and build lasting, personal relations with them.

    papa murphy survey

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello friends!!!! Welcome to my site. If you are searching for PNC Bank Debit Card Activation then you are at right place.
    how to activate pnc debit card
    how to activate pnc debit card

    ReplyDelete
  8. To know how customers feel about products and services, Papa Murphy is conducting a guest survey under the name of Papa Survey (Papa Murphy’s Survey).
    Papa Murphy Survey

    ReplyDelete