Here are a couple easy{{gwi:807}} ones I make in the summer. The first one uses lots of basil.

PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATOES

5 medium-size vine-ripened tomatoes
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar (can substitute basalmic)
1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped (can use more)
1/ 2 cup good olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/ 4 Lb. Brie cheese, rind off, cubed
Linguini noodles or other pasta

Peel, seed and drain tomatoes. Chop coarsely. Sprinkle with vinegar after placing in a bowl. In a small skillet, cook the garlic in olive oil until softened but not browned. Add to tomatoes; stir. Add basil, salt and pepper. Marinate at room temperature for several hours. Cook linguini al dente; drain. Toss hot pasta with and cheese cubes until it melts and they have a light coating of cheese; then add tomato sauce and mix. Serves 4-6.

** Edited to add that I often add crabmeat to the tomato sauce and mix different varieties of tomatoes.

WALNUT HAM LINGUINI

1 package (16 oz.) linguini
2 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 lb. fully cooked ham slices, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced parsley

Cook pasta. Meanwhile, saute garlic in oil in large skillet for 1 minute. Add walnuts; saute for 2 minutes. Stir in ham; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Drain pasta, toss with ham mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley. 4 - 6 servings

Notes: Fresh basil can be substituted half of the parsley. 2 Tbs. chopped scallions can be added with the ham. A diced fresh tomato can be added with the cheese and parsley.

This post was edited by ruthanna on Wed, Jul 3, 13 at 17:35

Glad you liked the Bionaturae whole wheat pasta. It's all we use anymore. Except for about once every couple years when I make homemade chicken and noodles, I've stopped making homemade pasta. The Bionaturae is, quite frankly, better than any I've ever made.

Please forgive the flowery language of these recipes - I've C/P from the letter that I sent to accompany homemade food gifts to people who do not cook as inspiration. :) Both of these pasta recipes are great, light summer meals.

"Moroccan Preserved Lemons: (If you need a recipe for preserved lemons, give me a shout out.)

Your lemons have been preserved in a kosher salt-organic lemon juice mixture where they acquire a silken texture and distinctive flavor. Preserved lemons are an indispensable ingredient and flavoring in Moroccan and Mediterranean cooking.

I like to dice preserved lemons and mix them with sautéed vegetables such as green beans or to elevate lowly carrot coins into something interesting and exotic, perhaps tossing in a few whole cumin seeds as well. They are also good minced and mashed into butter with fresh herbs, then smeared on top of grilled fish or a nice hunk of caramelized roasted butternut squash. I’ve been known to sneak some into a batch of tapenade. You won’t regret tossing some finely minced little pieces into a batch of lemon ice cream! Thin strips of preserved lemons add a hint of Mediterranean sun to any braising liquid during the last few minutes of cooking.

But, do take care when adding them to a recipe. Hold back on adding salt since the lemons will add their own salty flavor.

Store the preserved lemons in the refrigerator where they will keep for at least 6 months.

Rinse before using to remove excess salt.

To use: Remove lemons from the liquid and rinse. Scrape out the pulp. Slice the lemon peels into thin strips or cut into small dices. You may wish to press the pulp through a sieve to obtain the juice which can be used as a salt substitute flavoring, then discard the remains.

Ingredients: Organic Lemons, Kosher Salt, Pensey’s Spices (Whole Ceylon Cloves, Indian Special Extra Bold Black Peppercorns, Whole Canadian Coriander Seeds, Whole Indonesian Cinnamon Sticks, Whole Izmir Turkish Bay Leaves, Whole Tien Tsin Chili Pepper)

Here are a couple of our favorite recipes using preserved lemons…

When Life Throws You A Lemon Pasta:

When life throws you a lemon…catch it!

In a hot sauté pan with a wee bit of the oil from your World Peace Olives (I've C/P the recipe below), swirl chopped garlic and walnut halves which will give them a chance to share perfumed notes with one another.

When the two are just beginning to show the signs of golden sun let an abundant river of cream flow over them though before the cream should start to boil, add the juice of the lemon you caught - nice and steady as not to curdle the cream and spoil the fun.

As the cream thickens, toss in spoonfuls of freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano and don’t forget to add the tiny sliced strips of preserved lemon rind cut from the lemon you juiced.

Serve this lusciousness of nature over hot al dente pasta and have a loaf of crusty bread at the ready to soak up every ounce of the lemon-walnut cream sauce.

One, or two, nicely seared diver scallops snuggled in would be a pleasant surprise. See “A Few of My Favorite Things” for a scallop suggestion. ( I didn't C/P the scallop recipe but I will if you'd like).

Don’t forget to sprinkle on the fairy dust, also known as a fresh basil chiffonade.

Exact measurements are not my style. I figure if the ingredients are fresh it seldom matters.

Charmoula With Preserved Lemon:

Charmoula is a common North African marinade or garnish made with herbs, oil, preserved lemons, and spices. This charmoula works wonderfully with baked fish. It also gives life and light to a simple roasted whole chicken. A bit garnishing a simple carrot soup creates a masterpiece.

1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
2 Red Onions, diced
4 Large Garlic Cloves, crushed
1 Cup Cilantro, finely chopped (can easily sub basil)
1 Cup Flat-Leaf Parsley, finely chopped
2 Red Jalapenos, finely chopped (or, any small hot red pepper available)
1 Whole Preserved Lemon, thoroughly rinsed with the pulp removed and rind finely diced
¼ Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
½ Teaspoon Saffron Threads
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Citrus Salt (it’s in your little jar just waiting for such an occasion) I gave homemade!
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, to cover

Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Spoon into a jar and cover with a film of olive oil to preserve the fresh herbs.

Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use but not more than a few hours. Makes approximately 4 cups.

Note: Olive oil and garlic are an unsafe combination for long term storage. Please freeze what you do not use covered by a film of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.

World Peace Olives, Marinated With Rosemary and Orange Peel:

Combine the following ingredients and put in a Mason's jar. Store in the refrigerator.

Ingredients: Assortment of Fine Turkish, Greek, and Italian Olives, Organic Extra-Virgin Cold Pressed Greek Olive Oil, Organic Florida Orange Peel, Organic Home-Grown Rosemary, Pensey’s Spices (Crushed Szechuan Peppercorns)

If you get bored with just reaching in the jar and munching, try this…

The Harried Greek Housewife’s Laundry Day Pasta:

When the water is spitting hot, toss in pasta and transform the bath with a palm full of citrus salt. Give the pasta a stir to get it acquainted. As it goes around and upside down bubbling, entertain yourself as you confetti a small porcelain bowl with the following friends…

Mixture of Marinated Olives pitted and sliced in half (or, toss in whole according to preference) , sun-dried tomatoes chopped into bite-sized pieces, pine nuts that you have toasted in a dry skillet, crumbled Greek feta, kisses of garlic, and coarsely ground fresh black peppercorns. Swirl several ribbons of extra-virgin olive oil…then add a handful of aroma that only fresh basil leaves can provide. Give your confetti a few minutes to intermingle and chat each other up while you set the table.

Your heart a flutter with anticipation, toss the al dente orzo pasta with the colorful collected edibles. Clink your glasses and give a nod to the French with vintage Syrah and enjoy a pungent mouthful of delight.

A feast never fails, no matter how simple."

/tricia

This post was edited by triciae on Wed, Jul 3, 13 at 17:48

I like to make a Caprese style pasta, usually served cold, but it is good warm also, with rotelli, rotini, or fusilli pasta that is served with grated Mozzarella, olive oil, cherry tomatoes, black pepper, chiffonade of basil, and a bit of salt. Normally I make this as a cold pasta salad, but it is a good way to use up a lot of basil, as basil is the main ingredient. If you like, you can add a bit of Balsamic vinegar to it, or a good red wine vinegar. I do not like to use the expensive (and sweet) Balsamics with this. It is also good without the vinegar. I usually rinse the pasta in cold water after cooking it to cool it down before adding the other ingredients.

Lars

Just last night I made a fresh tomato sauce for thin spaghetti. I had a couple and a half of large home grown Cherokee Purple tomatoes that needed to be eaten, and a few fingerling eggplants I just picked. I sauteed some scallions, garlic and the chopped eggplants in lots of olive oil, then when I added the pasta to the boiling water, I added the tomaotes to the skillet with the onions and garlic, along with a big bunch of julienned basil, also from my garden. When the pasta was done, in just 4 minutes, I drained it and added it to the skillet with the tomatoes and stuff. I tossed it with some grated parmesan. It was done in less than 15 minutes.

Sally

This is a very simple pasta and quick pasta to make.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Peperoni Sauce ( Pasta with red peppers)
========================================
Source: Pizza and Pasta by Susan Conte

2 medium Red Peppers
1 minced garlic clove
10 black olives
1 tablespoon capers
Olive oil
Salt
2 oz. butter Softened
4 ounces parmesan chesse, Grated
A little cream or milk

Optional: I like to add some fresh Basil just before serving.
. Prepare the sauce before cooking the pasta.

Wash, dry and deseed and cut the peppers into thin strips lengthways.
Stone and cut each olive into three or four pieces. Wash and dry the
capers if they have been salted.

Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with olive oil and gently fry the
peppers until tender, adding the olives, capers and garlic halfway
through the cooking time. Salt to taste. Strain off the excess olive
oil.

When the pasta is cooked, transfer it to a serving dish and pour the
auce over the top. Heat the butter and cream and toss with pasta. Add
the parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly.

Serve individual portions with extra parmesan if liked.

Option: Add basil if using.

Ann, how many servings does that recipe make? I would guess that it would serve four, based on the quantity of red bell pepper. I have all the ingredients to make that, and so I might try it this week-end. I'm disappointed that my basil is not growing faster, but I have lot of plants that I started from seed - perhaps a bit too late in the season, but then I have a basil plant from last year that is still growing.

Lars

I made Marcella Hazan's Tomato Butter Pasta Sauce last summer and it's delicious!!!

2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, blanched, peeled and coarsely chopped; or 2 cups canned imported Italian tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
5 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in half
Salt to taste

Put either the prepared fresh tomatoes or the canned in a saucepan, add the butter, onion, and salt, and cook uncovered at a very slow, but steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until it is thickened to your liking and the fat floats free from the tomato. Stir from time to time, mashing up any large pieces of tomato with the back of a wooden spoon. Taste and correct for salt. Discard the onion before tossing with pasta. Serve with freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese for the table.

Ann, that red pepper sauce sounds delish! I'll be trying it this week. Thanks

Ann, I made your recipe this evening. The sauce was a light Alfredo sauce. With really big red peppers, this was a hit! We loved it and will make it again!

Beachlily, Thanks for the feedback. Glad you liked it.

Lars, I've always made it for two for a main course. It would work for four for a first course. But to be honest, I never follow the recipe to a "T". I added more olives, because I love olives and depending on the size of pepper, I sometimes just used one.

~Ann

I'll admit, I didn't follow it to a "T" either. The sauce was so easy to do and to change. Used more peppers, olives, and garlic. Next time intend to add some mushrooms too. I may never go back to the old tried and true Alfredo sauce, because this one is much more interesting with a lot of taste. Added a goodly amount of black pepper, too.

Ann, I just copied your recipe and will try it soon. It sounds really good.

Sally

I am salivating over the recipes!

Lars - Am I right in thinking that the sauce is not cooked if it is caprese style?

I am sensing an overall technique to these sauces. Fresh pasta sauce type veggies, s+p, oil or butter, some cream possibly to smooth it all in.

I just joined this forum today and noticed the "Cooking" area - wonderful!

I have a food blog and my favorite recipe for a light pasta sauce uses fresh tomatoes, but with an interesting "twist" - the tomatoes are grated... the texture is completely different, and it does make an awesome sauce, very easy to adapt with different herbs or veggies... I hope it's ok to include a link to my blog, if not feel free to correct me!

Here is a link that might be useful: Fresh grated tomato sauce

This post was edited by sallyparis on Thu, Jul 11, 13 at 11:59

OK, I'll slink back in here to admit that I'm making Ann's recipe again this evening. I dearly love it!

Admittedly, it's difficult for me to find recipes I like. We don't eat a lot of meat--no red meat--so many of the recipes posted here don't appeal to me or him. Understand, I choose for both of us as most women do. So when I find something we both like .... happy days! Dinner will be on the table just shortly.

This is not a tomato sauce at all, but is so easy and so good.

Coarsely grate zucchini. Saute garlic in olive oil. Add grated zucchini and saute very lightly, just barely cooked. Add plain yogurt and parmesan and serve over a relatively small amount of pasta.

This unlikely sounding recipe is really delicious and is the very first thing I do with the first zucchini of the season.

Lacey, love your take with the grated zucchini, and the yogurt addition is awesome too, light and refreshing!

Welcome Sally,

One of the recipes we did on the ship was a grated tomato sauce. We lightly sauteed mushrooms and peppers separately, zucchini would work too, and tossed with the grated tomatoes, lots of very good EVOO and freshly grate cheese....was very good.

The nice thing about all theses recipes is that they can be combined by using what you have on hand...and what you like. I'm making one this morning for the weekend. I always have olives, pulled some pecans out of the freezer from the holidays that i will toast and lightly chop. Roast a red pepper on the gas burner. My basil bed is doing well but not enough for a pesto so i'll pinch off a dozen tops but the cilantro is bolting so i'll add that at the end with a squeeze of lime. Tomatoes are a month away but i have a dozen early sungolds (the size of
marbles)...I'll cut in half and toss on top fresh. i have a bit of fetta left i need to use. A dozen sugar snap peas sliced in half. Not enough for a side dish.
I made succotash wed and have an ear of corn left and half a zucchini and squash i'll use up. (my local Stop-n-Shop grocery has a local farm stand set up inside) A wooden cart with an umbrella, haha.
I usually prefer simplicity and just a few ingredients but this time of year i have a little bit of everything...reminds me of my MIL's saturday soup my husband grew up on...all the bits of the weeks meals tossed in a soup pot with homemade stock from the freezer, maybe some rice or pasta.
Not really left-overs using fresh, but certainly a 'garden party' pasta. Still a light sauce.
I'm going to make a full lb so it will be a side dish tonight with cod cakes, a cold salad for tomorrows lunch, (DH will have some for breakfast, lol). Sunday night's return from the mountains i'll put the leftovers in a casarole, top with extra cheese, 'yogurt milk', panko and any grill leftovers, (lamb sausage!) and make an adult mac-n-cheese. (i have some rich stinky fancy munster i need to use up). A completely different meal when baked and toasted.
sallyparis-love your blog. My husband caught me grating a few tomatoes last season,
"now what are you doing!?", haha. Works great in a hurry but needs a big bowl. Love warm pasta tossed in all that yummy juice when tomatoes are so sweet and abundant.

tricia-haha, the harried greek housewife. Now i know what to call it!

Gwlolo- No need to 'cook' the sauce, but a few ingredients do 'brighten' flavors with a few minutes in a large wide saucepan, just a few minutes as the pasta is finishing. Add the warm pasta to the saucepan and toss. A caprese is nice just on top fresh when serving along with toasted nuts if using. If you have an abundance of fresh basil, some is nice tossed in the warm pasta but save most for the top garnish. Arugula is delightful as well.

Tricia, I copied and pasted your recipes, too. they sound great. I'll have to figure out how to make or buy the preserved lemons, but I love anything lemon.

Lacy, I'm intrigued by your zucchini and yogurt recipe, too. I think I'd love it.

Sally

I did a dumb shopping spree before the 4th holiday. Costco, 'the 200dollar store'.
(-we play a game at check-out...'guess-the-total-amount'.)

I came home with a big bag of lemons AND limes. oy.
Just recently juiced them...blended the lemon with basil and the lime with cilantro and froze in ice cube trays, then zip-locked. Crisp fresh flavor for so many things. Not so stupid after all.
Don't need it today since i still have fresh, but nice to have.

Here's another idea for a sauce we love...

Sage Butter Sauce

3 tablespoons shallots, minced
½ cup dry, white wine
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
Salt & Pepper to taste

Sauté shallots in 2 tablespoons of butter, about 3-5 minutes.

Add white wine, heavy cream, chicken stock and lemon juice. Simmer until sauce is reduced by half.

Gently whisk in remaining butter, one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. Adding butter only until the previous addition has completely melted. Add sage. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sage Butter Sauce over Spinach Ravioli

Sol

I forgot to add, you could substitute basil for the sage in this sauce.

Sol

Oh, Sol, that sound good. Another one to copy and paste.

Sally

Sally, if you want my recipe for preserved lemons - give me a shout out and I'll post. I hate being without those lemons. They are useful.

Sleevendog, I had fun with those homemade Christmas gifts as you can tell by the writing and recipe names!

/tricia