I am head-over-heels for seasonal produce – to such an extent that I tend to go overboard and buy far too much. Case in point: the phenomenal number of tomatoes I ordered from my produce co-op this month, which I assembled into salads large enough to feed 40. Seeing as there are only two of us living at home, that meant quite a bit of tomato salad leftovers.
But here’s the thing.
Once tomatoes are sliced, there’s very little one can do to keep them around and delicious. Put them in the fridge, and they lose nearly all their texture and flavor. Leave them out on the counter (especially during a heat wave), and you’re just asking for food poisoning (or, at the very least, a whole lot of fruit flies). So I’ve been trying to come up with ways to lightly heat leftover tomato salads so that they’re still fresh and flavorful, and this is one of my favorites.
It literally couldn’t be easier to make if you already have leftover tomato salad hanging around, but even if you don’t, this is a summer meal that can be assembled in less than half an hour.
Summery Pasta with Tomatoes (serves 2)
4 heirloom tomatoes of different colors (I love yellow pineapple, green zebra, red beefsteak, and black Crimée)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel
10 basil leaves, chiffonnade
200 grams pasta
Chop the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces and toss with the garlic, oil, salt, and basil.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.
When the pasta is cooked, return to the pot and add the tomatoes, tossing to combine and to just-barely heat. Serve.