No offense to red tomatoes, but heirloom tomatoes are way more fun. You don’t have to do much of anything, except slice into one and simply enjoy the sweet juicy flavors. It’s just the tail end of the tomato season here in LA, and my go-to indicator when looking for the right heirloom is the weight. It should feel really heavy for its size, which usually means it’ll be a perfect flavor-packed 10. Also, the more gnarled the heirloom is, the better.
Like I said earlier, you could just eat them sliced with a sprinkle of pepper. Or up the ante by throwing them into spaghetti along with fragrant basil, ricotta salata, extra virgin olive oil, and a healthy amount of cracked black pepper and sea salt.
Light and incredibly easy to make, this pasta dish is perfect for a weekday night. I also love that first slice of tomato and watching the juices pool over the cutting board. You could also serve this along with fish like baked salmon or trout. This dish took about 30 minutes to make –not too bad for a Sunday night dinner.
Spaghetti With Heirloom Tomatoes, Garlic & Ricotta Salata
INGREDIENTS
1lb of dried spaghetti
1 tsp unsalted butter
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced
½ fresh basil, chopped
¼ cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
½ tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
4 oz ricotta salata, shaved
Black pepper and kosher salt
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 7 minutes, until al dente. Drain and reserve a glass of pasta water for later.
In large saucepan, combine the butter and olive oil on low heat. Then add the garlic, and reduce heat a little bit more. Stir frequently until garlic is softened which takes about 3 minutes (make sure it doesn’t brown), then remove from heat. Add cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Add tomatoes, basil, parmesan, and crushed red pepper. Toss everything quickly while on low heat. Add the pasta water if the pasta looks dry.
Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Serve in a large dish or individual bowls, then top with ricotta salata.
