Don’t under-estimate the taste and flavor of a Tomato, Tomato is one of the most undermined vegetable/fruit, Its almost always used as a base sauce in a dish or curry but rarely do we hear anyone say wow this curry tastes yummy because of the tomato. Tomatoes are very rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin A and they’re a Dieter’s food as they have very minimal calories. Tomatoes come in many colors, shapes and each variety has a unique taste. Since you can find all sorts of tomatoes in summer, this is a great time to use this fruit in a variety of ways. Toss it with some olive oil, herbs and garlic and add it to pasta and you get a refreshing and delicious summer pasta ready to eat in minutes.

FRESH TOMATO HERB PASTA

INGREDIENTS
10 to 12 ripe plum tomatoes
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
Handful of fresh herbs (when chopped, about 1/3 Cup is needed) best choices are parsley, basil, oregano & mint
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (omit when making for kids)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried pasta of choice
Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

SERVES
4

PREP TIME
15 minutes

COOK TIME
10 minutes

DIRECTIONS

Chop tomatoes coarsely, removing core end. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, fresh herbs, olive oil, hot pepper, salt and pepper. Let sit at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours to allow flavors to blend. Just before serving, cook the pasta until it is al dente. Drain and mix immediately with the sauce. Serve at once, offering the fresh grated cheese to top.

Variations: You could change the taste of this dish by simply adding some chopped capers and olives. To make this pasta dish a complete meal, you could top it with fresh grilled tuna or chicken. For 4 people, use a tuna steak of about 1 1/2 pounds in size. Lightly grill so that some pink remains, and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Top the prepared pasta dishes with the tuna, and sprinkle on some crumbled feta cheese instead of the parmesan.

CREDIT
italianfoodforever.com