SIMPLY...FLAVORFUL!

This is a repeat recipe from my cookbook (page 65) but it deserves extra attention. The time is ripe, and right, as the case may be, for succulent, juicy, vine-ripened to the max, sweet homegrown tomatoes...another reason to head to your favorite local farmer's market (or your garden). This recipe also merits a second look because, amongst other things, cooking should be about experimentation, and having fun. That might be as simple as substituting penne for rigatoni or tossing in different herbs, even though the recipe doesn't call for it. That's when it becomes your own, and a source of pride and satisfaction, not dinner drudgery! Also I can't think of a better time to say something about a couple things that are top of mind (mine, and maybe yours)...cooking with top-notch ingredients and the beauty in simplicity. These really go hand-in-hand, especially with Italian cooking. It doesn't take a lot for a dish to wow, but the ingredients have to be the purest and best versions of themselves. This recipe is all about the flavor of fresh, ripe tomatoes, which might vary by variety. (Part of the fun is trying different kinds.) Another recipe that has stood the test of time for the same reasons as above, made famous by Marcella Hazan in the early '70s, is tomato sauce with butter and onion. Find my version on page 73 of Cooking by Heart. In this case it's about canned tomatoes, preferably imported San Marzano. Add an onion, a pat of butter, lots of fresh basil (and 1 carrot, as my nonna did) and voila, or ecco in Italian, with little effort (but only the finest ingredients) you will marvel at how much flavor this simple preparation delivers. But don't believe me...try for yourself and let me know what you think. Now back to today's recipe...

With an abundance of sunshine, tempered with the right amount of rain, these beauties arrived early this year. Yea, that means a longer tomato season!

The inspiration behind this recipe came from my cousins Giulia and Elisa. I alluded to it in my book but didn't have the space to include their photo. Credit where credit due!

Peeling explained in recipe below. Who wants tomato skins floating in their sauce!

From chunky fresh tomatoes...

...to saucy deliciousness. If you want a smoother texture, blend in a blender or food process, with or without the clove of garlic.

PENNE WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

2 1/2 - 3 pounds very ripe beefsteak or plum tomatoes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large garlic clove, peeled and lightly smashed

1/2 teaspoon or more fresh thyme leaves

3/4 pound penne pasta, rigati (ridged) or liscie (smooth)

3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Salt and pepper

Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Score a shallow "x" in the bottom of the tomatoes. Place them gently into simmering water. Slowly count to ten then remove them with a slotted spoon to a colander. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins, cut out the green stems and remove most of the seeds, if present in the variety you're using. Chop tomatoes coarsely.

Combine the oil, garlic, thyme, tomatoes and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt in a large skillet. Simmer on low, covered, about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have broken down. Uncover the skillet, add the basil if desired, and continue to simmer until thickened to a saucy consistency, about 20 minutes (this will depend on the amount of liquid in the tomatoes). Discard the garlic or leave it in, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water. Before draining, scoop out 1/2 cup of water. Drain pasta and transfer to the sauce, along with a couple tablespoons or more of pasta water to moisten, if needed. Remove the skillet from the heat and toss in the cheese. Serves 2-3.