a tribute to tomatoes

A wise man once said “never eat a tomato that isn’t local and in season”. It’s so true , the flavour of a tomato is so special. Its the taste of summer. Amanda, a friend of mine has been going on and on about a simple pasta dish that essentially uses the sun to cook up a delightfully fresh pasta sauce loaded with tomato, basil and brie. I had the pleasure of trying this recipe with fresh county tomatoes and brie from Lighthall Vineyard

The weather was perfect to leave it marinading in the sun for 3 hours. Just add pasta and enjoy. Summer will never be the same.

recipe 

3/4 pound Brie (triple cream if you can get it) peeled. Disgard skin.

4 medium ripe-as-can-be tomatoes

2 medium cloves garlic

1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, cleaned and dried

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons excellent olive oil

1 dash Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound curly pasta (I used spaghetti)

Put the Brie in the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm up a little. This will make it easier to cut when the time comes.

Roughly chop the tomatoes and put them in a large serving bowl. Finely chop the garlic and add it to the bowl. Roughly chop the basil and add that to the bowl too. Pour in the olive oil and add a generous amount of salt and pepper. Gently stir everything together.

Once the Brie is firm enough, cut it into 1/2-inch cubes and add these to the bowl. Gently fold to combine the cheese with the rest of the ingredients. Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature for at least 2, and up to 8, hours — the longer the better. (I like to leave it in the sun).

When you are ready to eat, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente. Strain it and tip it into the bowl with the sauce. Fold everything together until it is well combined, the Brie has begun to melt, and the pasta is slicked with cheese and tomato goodness. Serve immediately with a big green salad.

Thanks to Food 52 for this version of the recipe