Hummingbird Recipe. Fresh 30 MinuteTomato Sauce With Herbs

Pasta with Fresh Local Tomato Sauce with Fresh Herbs

This recipe is a take-off from a recipe updated in July by the NYT, from a 2003 recipe from Scott Conant (heads up all you Food Network fans!).

I don’t know why exactly this happens, but as local tomato harvesting kicks into high gear later in the summer, I always have fresh new tomatoes before we use up the ones still in the fridge. I wind up using the new ones in salads and on sandwiches, while still keeping the slightly “over” ones to use in cooking at a later date. This recipe turned out to be perfect, in that it is absolutely delicious, and makes room for more tomatoes… I think there is an expression for that— make hay while the sun shines, or perhaps, optimize available supply, for the more business-minded folks.

The original recipe calls for plum tomatoes. I actually had plum tomatoes “on hand” the last time I prepared this dish, however the first couple of times, I just used the fresh local tomatoes I had in the refrigerator, mixing cherry tomatoes, beefsteak, heirloom. The original recipe calls for blanching, peeling, and seeding the tomatoes. I skip this step entirely.

2 lbs (approximately) of fresh local tomatoes, quartered or halved depending on the size; cherry tomatoes can be left whole

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for cooking plus 3 additional tbsp of your best extra virgin olive oil for finishing

sea salt (to taste)—go light on the salt as the mixture becomes concentrated while reducing

2 pinches of crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 pound dry spaghetti (I use De Cecco Thin Spaghetti)

1.5 tbsp butter

10 fresh basil leaves, a small bunch of fresh flat parsley—leaves from about 5 stems with stems removed, and the leaves of one stem of fresh oregano; chop and set aside; reserve 1 tbsp of the mixed, chopped herbs to sprinkle on top of pasta when serving

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, or more if you like; reserve a few tbsp to sprinkle on top when serving

Using a deep frying or saute pan, heat 4 tbsp of olive oil. Add tomatoes, then add salt and crushed red pepper. As the tomatoes start simmering, mash them with a potato masher. You will want to release all the juices and break the tomato pieces down into small pieces. Simmer for approximately 25-30 minutes with your pan cover offset, leaving about a half inch opening. Check from time to time, giving the mixture a stir and making sure that it is cooking at a medium, not fast, simmer.

While the tomatoes are simmering, put the water up for your pasta. I put the pasta in to cook about 5 minutes before the sauce is cooked and reduced. Cook the pasta halfway to al dente, as it will continue cooking in the sauce. Reserve a cup of the pasta water in the event you need to add it to the sauce—I have never had to add it, but just in case.

Drain and add the partially cooked pasta to the tomato mixture. Toss into the sauce and continue the simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, approximately 5 minutes. Add a small amount of pasta water if the water is absorbed and the pasta is not yet al dente.

Remove pan from heat, add the butter, herbs, and parmesan cheese and toss (holding reserve of herbs and cheese for serving). Divide into serving bowls, sprinkle reserved herbs and cheese on top of each bowl, and drizzle with the “best” olive oil. Buon appetito!

Serves 2 (to 3) as main course.