SUMMER PASTA WITH SALSA CRUDA & BURRATA
A fresh, summery dish to make when heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil are at their peak
Ingredients
- 4 large Heirloom tomatoes
- 3/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Garlic cloves peeled
- 1 lb. Short pasta Penne, rigatoni, orecchiette or other artisanal pasta shapes
- 1 ball Burrata cheese, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4-5 sprigs Fresh basil
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 2 tbsp. Salt (for the pasta water)
- 1 tsp. Salt (for the tomato mixture)
- 1/2 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Peel the garlic cloves and cut into very thin slices.
- In a small saucepan, add the olive oil and the garlic slices and gently cook over very low heat until the garlic is a light golden color (not browned). Remove from heat and set aside.
- On a cutting board, cut the heirloom tomatoes in half and scoop out the excess seeds and pulp with a spoon.
- Discard the excess seeds and pulp. Chop the tomatoes into a rough 1/2-inch dice and put into a large pasta serving bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Remove the garlic from the seasoned oil with a slotted spoon.
- Add the garlic-infused olive oil to the tomato mixture, season with salt and pepper and set aside while the pasta is cooking. In the time the pasta water comes to a boil and the pasta is cooking, the raw tomatoes will become infused with the garlic-scented oil.
- Cook pasta according to package directions (usually about 10 minutes for short pasta, but check the label for cooking times).
- Remove cooked pasta from cooking water with a slotted spoon and add to the serving bowl with tomato-oil mixture. Continue adding and stirring until the pasta and tomato mixture are incorporated.
- Add the burrata cheese to the pasta and tomato mixture and give it a gentle stir.
- Gently tear the basil leaves and add to the pasta.
- Serve in pasta bowls and add freshly grated Parmigiana cheese to each bowl. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve.