As summer comes to a close, so closes the vine-ripened tomato season at the Larchmont Farmer’s Market. Be still my weeping heart! So, of course, I had to buy mega pounds of all varieties to get in a few recipes while the pickings were good.
Luckily, both Country Fresh Herbs and Frecker Farms had tables full of ripe beauties this past Wednesday. I bought a variety of heirlooms at both stands, and a bagful of San Marzano at Country Fresh Herbs. Perfect for the simple fresh tomato sauce I’ve been craving. No excuses now!
When choosing tomatoes for a sauce, you want them to be very ripe. Just softening, without being squishy or bruised, with a heady tomato aroma. You can leave them out on the counter in the sun for a few days to ripen, as well. This will make for a robust sauce with a deep tomato-y flavor.
If you’ve never made a sauce from fresh vs. canned tomatoes, I highly recommend trying this recipe. It cooks up quickly with no need to leave on the stove simmering all day. While the timing needs to be just right, as you finish cooking the par cooked linguini in the sauce, the results are spectacular.
Please note that you grate the heirloom tomatoes. You will be left with some thin skin, which you discard, but use all of the seedy juices in the sauce. The San Marzano tomatoes have a thicker skin and are meatier. Those get diced up whole. They add a bit of texture as well as taste to the sauce. Fresh herbs add a pop of flavor while a knob of plant-based butter and a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil at the end add a bit of creaminess that helps the sauce adhere to the pasta. Luscious and refreshing in one bite!
I absolutely love the Italian dry pastas from Robertino Cuccina, available at the Sunday market. When making a simple sauce, such as this, having tasty pasta with a good chew is essential. Robertino is an expert on matching pasta shape with sauce.
We are lucky to have so much available to us, local, to make delicious meals.
Buon Appetito!
Linguini with Fresh “End of Summer” Tomato Sauce
3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 very large bulb shallot or 1 small white onion, finely diced
3 large cloves garlic, grated
2 cups chopped fresh San Marzano tomatoes
5 cups grated mixed Heirloom tomatoes
3 T tomato paste (I prefer the kind in the tube)
Kosher salt to taste (I used 1 tsp)
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
¼ cup fresh chopped basil
1 T fresh chopped oregano
1 T fresh chopped parsley
1 T plant based salted butter
Extra virgin olive oil
1 500-gram package linguini (17.6 oz.)
Fresh grated or packaged shredded plant based Parmesan
Fresh chopped basil
In a large and very deep sauté pan, heat the 3 T EVOO over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook until translucent but not browning, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the San Marzano tomatoes and cook about 10 minutes at a good simmer, reducing the liquids, lowering the heat a bit if necessary. Start a large pot of water cooking for the pasta.
In the meantime, add the 5 cups grated tomatoes and the tomato paste to the San Marzano tomatoes in the sauté pan, incorporating all. Cook at a good simmer 15 -20 minutes, reducing some of the liquid. You will need it to seem a bit watery as you finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. When the pasta water is boiling, salt well and add the linguini, setting a timer for 5 minutes. Add the herbs to the sauce and stir up. At 5 minutes, drain the pasta. Add the butter and a swirl of EVOO to the sauce and stir up ’til the butter is melted. Add the par-cooked linguini to the sauce and turn up the heat to a low boil, and cook about another 5 minutes until al dente and the sauce is reduced, stirring up to make sure that all of the pasta is coated with sauce. Stir often to make sure that the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Lower heat if that is an issue.
When ready, plate and top with plant based Parmesan and chopped basil. Enjoy!
