Hello there! Ina Garten’s recipe for Summer Garden Pasta was trending on my feed for several days and I wanted to try it, but after reading you had to let the tomatoes rest for four hours, I knew it wasn’t going to happen.
If you know me, you know that my favorite recipes are quick and easy to prepare. Waiting four hours? Not for me! But later I found a similar recipe – also by Ina – that could be prepared in just a few minutes. Much better!
I’ve made this two times already in the past two weeks, and can see this joining our weekly staples, like Mustard Seed Chicken, Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki, and other favorites.
Ultra sweet, summer tomatoes, the kind you can only find at the market during this time of the year, are the best for this recipe. And don’t skimp on the Parmesan cheese, or my own little secret that I learned from my grandmother: adding one (or two) pats of salted butter right before serving! It makes a huge difference. Go on, try it! 😉
If you find yourself out of basil or red pepper flakes, don’t despair. The second time I made this dish I realized I didn’t have either. So, I substituted ½ teaspoon of Herbs de Provence spice mix for the herbs, and a little cayenne for some heat.
My eye doctor has told me I need to eat more dark leafy greens to keep my eyes healthy. So, I mixed in some arugula right before serving the pasta. I got my vitamins and that wonderful green contrast, similar to basil.
Quick Pasta With Fresh Tomato Sauce
(adapted from Ina Garten)
1 box of spaghetti or linguine (I used Barilla)
2 Tbsp. Kosher salt (to salt the water for cooking the pasta)
6 cloves of garlic, finely sliced (at least 2 Tbsp.!)
¼ cup of olive oil
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 pints of grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Basil, about 10 leaves sliced thinly
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated; more for serving)
2 tablespoons butter (preferably salted)
**In a pinch (if you are out of fresh basil and/or red pepper flakes):
substitute with 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence spice mix, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, and handful of arugula for each plate.
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta following the instructions on the box. (I used Barilla and like to add salt to the water. I find that 2 Tbsp. is a good amount.)
- Finely slice the garlic and prepare the tomatoes by cutting them in half.
- In a large saute pan, heat the oil, add garlic and red pepper flakes (herbs de Provence and cayenne, if using**), salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the tomatoes and let them cook in the flavored oil for about 10 minutes.
- When the pasta is al dente, remove the noodles from the pot, add them to the pan with the tomato mixture.
- Add ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, butter, and fresh basil/arugula.
- Toss well and serve with some extra Parmesan cheese, to taste.
Note: This dish is great hot or cold, so you can save any leftovers in the fridge and make it a quick lunch the next day. Perfect for school or work lunches.
Enjoy!
💛 Gabi
