Please update your Google Reader! http://feeds.feedburner.com/howsweeteats/smSp
I’ve mentioned our family friend Barb before—she’s practically part of our family. Barb and her husband Jack owned restaurants for years, and she recently shared some of Jack’s recipes with me. I’m so grateful to her for passing along these treasures.
One of the recipes she gave me was a simple Pasta Margherita. I made only a few small changes and thought it would be something everyone could enjoy.
I used whole wheat spaghetti this time, though fettucine or a white pasta would also work well. The main ingredients are ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and garlic.
I also added a touch of my roasted garlic cream sauce, without the gorgonzola—this keeps the dish light and lets the tomatoes and basil shine.
Begin the sauce with butter and olive oil in a pan, add a little Italian seasoning and roasted garlic cloves. That base is the key; once you have it, the rest is easy.
With the heat high, add the chopped tomatoes and basil and let them heat through for a short time so the flavors mingle—the house will smell amazing.
Toss the cooked pasta with the tomato and basil mixture, the roasted garlic cream sauce, and a good grating of parmesan. Finish with extra basil and fresh tomato on top for color and brightness.
Pasta Margherita
1 lb pasta
3 chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup roasted garlic cream sauce (prepared ahead)
2 roasted garlic cloves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Prepare roasted garlic and the roasted garlic cream sauce in advance. Bring a pot of water to a boil, cook the pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the olive oil and butter. Add the Italian seasoning and sauté for about 30 seconds. Stir in half of the chopped tomatoes and half of the basil and sauté briefly to warm them through.
Place the cooked pasta in a large bowl. Add the butter, oil, basil and tomato mixture, then stir in the roasted garlic cream sauce and the roasted garlic cloves. Toss to combine well.
Top with the remaining fresh basil, the leftover chopped tomatoes and the Parmesan. Serve immediately.
I’m not Italian, but I’m excited to try more Italian recipes, and Barb has taught me a few Italian words along the way—though I’ll keep those to myself so you’ll come back for more. Have a great weekend: I’m off to bake and eat my way through it. I’ll be back when I’m stuffed and a few pounds heavier.
Love you all! 🙂
