Fresh Tomato Pasta

I have been making this super simple summer pasta dish for years. I love vine ripe tomatoes and this dish highlights them in all their glory. It also doesn’t hurt that it is so quick and easy to prepare. In the time it takes to boil a pot of noodles you can have a delicious summer inspired meal for the entire family. Being the carb-o-holic that I am, I usually serve this with fresh bread and dipping oil and a fresh green salad but since I didn’t have a lot of time on my hands I decided to forgo the salad and just add some summer squash to the pan to make sure we all got our veggies. 

This dish is also a great one for feeding toddlers because you get the idea of red sauce with a ton less mess! It can also be made dairy free by substituting the butter with a non-dairy spread like Earth Balance and omitting the cheese at the end.

1 pint grape tomatoes or 1-2 large slicing tomatoes, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 shallot, finely chopped

Fresh parsley, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

Fresh basil, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

EVOO

1 tbs butter

1 lemon, zested and juiced

S&P

Fresh grated Parmesan

Boil pasta, I use whole wheat extra fine spaghetti. While the pasta is cooking, saute garlic and shallot and a couple of tbs of EVOO in a pan over medium heat until they begin to brown (about 2 minutes). Add the remainder of the ingredients (except butter and cheese) and cook for 2 minutes. Add butter to the sauce just as you strain the pasta. Toss mixture in the sauce  and toss in the mixture and finish with a sprinkle of cheese.