Pasta with Raw Fresh Tomato Sauce

Two posts in a row now where both are for summery foods.  And it could not feel less summery today.  Last night I had my fireplace going.  Ugh.  But it's better late than never.  And this is probably the best pasta dish you will eat (next summer).  And also for the second post in a row, it's one I kind of threw together!

We had lots of big gorgeous tomatoes from my aunt and uncle's garden: heirloom tomatoes that were huge, heavy, and juicy.  I knew I wanted to feature them in a pasta dish, but I thought cooking them was kind of a shame.  When you cook tomatoes, they all taste like tomatoes.  But fresh heirloom tomatoes are something else entirely.  I decided to try my hand at a raw tomato sauce.  I had seen some recipes like that on Pinterest, and gave it a shot with what I had on hand.

The end result was a fantastic dish that had way more flavor than I expected it to.  The tomatoes were able to keep their flavor, brightened up by basil and thyme (I used dried, but I think fresh would be even better if you have them).  Garlic is a must for any tomato sauce, of course.  And that's it.  Don't overdo it.  Let your tomatoes rule the roost; they deserve it.  They only get to be the stars for like 3 months a year, after all.

Recipe:

pasta with raw fresh tomato sauce
a Bridget Cooking original
serves 4

Ingredients:
2 large tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
1 minced clove garlic
1 pound pasta

Instructions:

1) Chop the tomatoes, reserving seeds and juice.  Combine tomatoes, basil, thyme, and garlic.  Let sit for 15 minutes or more for flavors to mesh.

2) Cook pasta according toe package directions.  Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water.

3) Combine hot pasta with raw tomato sauce.  Add a little pasta water if needed.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.