MICHAEL’S FRESH TOMATO PASTA for 4 people
This is my son-in-law Michael’s signature pasta dish. It is simple to make yet complex in flavour. You can make it for one person or for six. Give yourself a treat and whip it up for supper – at six or midnight. Just be sure you pick the ripest tomatoes.
A couple of big fat garlic cloves
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Around 4 cups of small tomatoes
A handful of fresh mint chopped
A big handful of fresh basil chopped
kosher salt
! pound of spaghetti or linguine
2-3 tbs capers, rinsed and drained
A generous amount of grated parmigiano-reggiano
Saute the garlic in the olive oil
Crush the garlic cloves and slowly brown in a few tbsp of olive oil. When they are brown remove and discard them.
While you garlic cloves are sending their heavenly aroma through your kitchen, skin as many small tomatoes as you can fit into your sauté pan. To skin your tomatoes knife a cross on the bottom of the tomato then drop the tomatoes into boiling water for a couple of minutes. Drain and then skin them. Put the tomatoes into your sauté pan containing the garlic flavoured oil, and cook slowly releasing their juices. This takes just a few minutes.
Bring your water to a rolling boil and add a generous amount of salt. Like sea water. Add the pasta and cook until tender , around 7-9 minutes. Then add to the tomatoes in the pan. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper and the capers.
Put into serving bowls and top with the fresh herbs. Serve the parmigiano-reggiano cheese on the side. Now on simple is this. And how good!!
