Servings: four to six.
This sauce is for 1 lb. of imported Italian dried pasta. You can pair the sauce with any pasta shape, though it clings best to short, ridged types like penne rigate and rigatoni.
While salsa cruda is delicious on its own, you can choose one of these tasty additions for a little variety:
Cheese: Stir the cheese (see choices below) into the No-Cook Tomato Sauce after it has sat at room temperature and just before adding the pasta. In addition to the 1 cup Parmigiano, choose 1/4 to 1/2 lb. of another cheese, depending on how strong or sharp it is.
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 to 1/2 lb. of one cheese:
Feta, crumbled
Asiago, grated
Maytag blue, chopped
Gorgonzola, chopped
Fresh mozzarella, diced
Fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Tapenade: Yields about 3/4 cup. Mix half the tapenade into the No-Cook Tomato Sauce before it sits at room temperature. Garnish each serving of pasta with some of the remaining tapenade.
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1/4 cup pitted green olives
1/4 cup pitted oil-cured black olives
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zestÂ
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary (from 1 medium sprig)
Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until very roughly chopped, about 13 pulses.
Basil Pesto: Yields about 1-1/4 cups. Stir the basil pesto into the No-Cook Tomato Sauce after it has sat at room temperature and just before adding the pasta.
2 cups firmly packed fresh basil (preferably Italian Genovese)
1 large clove garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts
Put the basil, garlic, salt, and 2 or 3 grinds of pepper in a food processor and process until the basil and garlic are finely chopped, about 15 seconds. With the machine running, pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil down the feed tube in a slow, steady stream. Turn off the processor and add the Parmigiano. Process until the cheese is incorporated, about 20 seconds. With the machine running, slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup oil. Add the nuts and pulse until they’re coarsely chopped.
Our family favorite for enjoying heirloom tomatoes. I use a mix of tomatoes. I love the recipe as is, but last night tried it with 3/4 of the suggested olive oil. Came out great - maybe even better bc. a bit less liquidy. I use it on cavatappi pasta (the curves really grab the sauce) and add lots of good parmesan cheese (reggiano). This recipe is all about the quality of the ingredients - best flavorful tomatoes, olive oil, fresh basil and quality parmesan.
For the past couple of years I've made this recipe almost continuously when my tomatoes come in. It makes a great, quick summer supper, especially with cold pasta. (I just rinse the cooked pasta under cold water to cool it off). My wife and I especially like the variation with fresh Mozzarella cheese.
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