CUISINE & CULTURE
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ANGELINA@ANGELINALARUE.COM
My family loves pasta
throughout the year. During the summer we like to lighten it up a bit with a no-cook version of sauce, or a lighter one containing lots of fresh ingredients.
Any occasion I have to add fresh, meaty Roma tomatoes right out of the garden, or beautiful heirloom tomatoes to our pasta sauce in the summer, great results are easy to achieve. And a little bundle of fresh basil from the garden, or your kitchen windowsill, really takes the dish over the top with summer freshness and goodness.
This sauce is a great match with any type of pasta, but I like the texture and feel of the wide, dense pappardelle pasta. Be sure to not overcook the pasta and save some of the cooking liquid to use in the sauce.
Whether you have a home garden, or a favorite farmers market, utilizing the summer bounty to lighten up an Italian staple with this simple sauce will provide a perfect summer meal. Pair the pasta with a crunchy chopped salad, or cucumbers dressed with vinegar and garlic salt.
Enjoy food made fresh!
Fresh Tomato Sauce with Pappardelle
12 ounces dry pappardelle pasta 1 large shallot, peeled and finely diced 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 8 ounces canned tomato sauce 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon onion powder 4 medium fresh tomatoes, diced 6 leaves fresh basil Reserved pasta water Salt and black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes for serving, optional Cook pasta per package instructions. When ready, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water before draining.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and stir occasionally for 2 or 3 minutes until lightly browned. Add garlic and stir until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and onion powder, stirring to combine. Add the reserved cup of pasta cooking water, whisking until incorporated.
Remove skillet from heat and toss in the fresh tomatoes and basil.
Top each portion of pasta with a serving of sauce, and season with salt pepper, if desired. Makes 4 servings.
Angelina LaRue, author of “The Whole Enchilada: Fresh and Nutritious Southwestern Cuisine,” grew up at White River Lake, lives in Idalou and writes a weekly food column for local newspapers.
