Recipe

Spaghetti with "No Cook" Heirloom Tomato Sauce

Spaghetti with "No Cook" Heirloom Tomato Sauce

Photo by cucinettaNYC

  • This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe Using Heirloom Tomatoes
  • Chef

    cucinettaNYC's Notes: I was always wild about tomatoes. Even as a young child I remember biting into sun ripened tomatoes straight out of my mother's garden. I also remember tasting my first "raw" tomato sauce...

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Serves 8 first courses or 4 main courses

1 pound spaghetti Ask the
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1 pound assorted heirloom tomatoes (brandywine, Cherokee purple, green zebra and sweet orange), cut into chunks Ask the
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1 burrata (cheese) - if burrata is unavailable, you can substitute with fresh mozzarella Ask the
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1/4 cup olive oil Ask the
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2 gloves of garlic, minced - use a microplane Ask the
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1 teaspoon dried chile flakes (pepperoncini) Ask the
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1 handful torn basil leaves Ask the
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  1. Place large pasta or stock pot of water on high heat and let boil, at which point add a healthy handful of salt (you want the water to almost taste like the sea) and put in the spaghetti. NOTE: never add olive oil to water and never put a lid on pot after you have put in the pasta.

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  2. Next add olive oil to saute pan and place on medium heat.

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  3. When pan is hot enough, add garlic and pepperoncini and cook until garlic nearly dissolves (but does not burn) and the hot pepper flakes flavor the oil, approximately 1 minute.

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  4. Pasta should be done (al dente) in approximately 8 minutes. Drain and put in serving bowl.

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  5. Coat pasta with warm garlic-chile flavored oil, toss in heirloom tomatoes.

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  6. Using your hands, tear the burrata into bite size pieces and sprinkle on pasta and tomatoes.

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  7. Mix all ingredients. The heat from the pasta will "melt" the burrata.

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  8. Top with handful of freshly torn basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Note: you may want to add a little more olive oil at the end to finish the dish and make it glisten.

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Reply

I love the idea of no-cook. Heirlooms are so delicate to me that I think letting the heat from the pasta warm them is enough. I'm trying this recipe tonight. Thanks

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A wonderful combination - and tonight is pasta night - must give this a try.

Cucinetta_twitter_pic Reply

Let me know how it goes!

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Great combination of flavors and sounds easy to prepare.
Will give it a try as soon as I get my hands on that burrata cheese.

Cucinetta_twitter_pic Reply

I just bought some burrata at Whole Foods and it was very good.

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We never tire of any kind of tomato but ripened heirloom tomatoes are a real treat. This recipe sounds delicious and so easy to prepare. It's dinner for tonight! Thx! :)

Cucinetta_twitter_pic Reply

Thank you, let me know what you think.

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This dish takes advantage of fresh, plentiful summer ingredients and allows you to get dinner on the table quickly, without breaking a sweat. Who wants to slave over a hot stove on a hot summer day? Quick dinner, minimal cleanup, and back outside into the pool = perfect summer evening.

Cucinetta_twitter_pic Reply

Even better, the combination of all these flavors will make everyone think you spent hours in the kitchen : )

Dscn2828 Reply

Wow, sounds amazing. I am going to try this.

Cucinetta_twitter_pic Reply

So glad to hear that! Let me know what you think

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