Rigatoni with Tomatoes, Herbs & Hot Oil
september 18, 2014

Yes! More end of summer tomatoes for dinner! This is my favorite time of year. Tomatoes, basil, melons, peppers! All the produce I need to pretend I live in Italy. 

This recipe is another great invention from the Canal House. Super fast, super easy, super delicious. I can make and eat it in under 30 minutes, from start to finish. 

Here's how: boil water for pasta, cut X in the skin on the bottom of 5 tomatoes, drop each one into the boiling pot for 10 seconds, then remove. Put 1 pound of rigatoni in the pot, stir. Peel skin off tomatoes. Slice each in half horizontally, squeeze seeds out over a strainer sitting over a heatproof bowl. Chop tomatoes into 1" pieces. Discard seeds and remove strainer. Add tomatoes to bowl. Put strainer in sink, check pasta. Chop 1 -2 cups of mixed herbs (parsley, basil, chives, mint, whatever), mix with pasta. Heat 3/4 cup olive oil on the stove. Check pasta, it should be done, drain. When oil is shimmering, pour it into the bowl with tomatoes and herbs, it will sizzle. Add pasta to bowl, stir. Chop fresh mozzarella into 1/2" pieces, stir into pasta. Serve with salt, pepper, and parmesan to grate on top. From p. 47 of Canal House Cooking Volume 8. 

Really, those women are geniuses. Try it!