Cooking and good food is in my blood. Both my grandmother and mother were accomplished cooks who could combine a few ingredients into a memorable feast that you would never forget. I learned from both these exceptional women that their love of cooking for family and friends was their secret ingredient that flavored their dishes better than any expensive seasoning or ingredient. Being of Italian heritage, tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil and pasta were the basis for many of the meals they cooked when I was growing up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania along the Delaware River. The Delaware Valley before all the housing developments was rich land with farms that went for miles. My grandmother and mother’s summer season gardens overflowed with the most beautiful fresh produce perfect for making Linguine with Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto Sauce. I’ve attempted to create the flavors from one of their signature dishes. Both women never used a recipe they just added a pinch of this, a dash of that magically creating breathtaking food!
Linguine with Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto Sauce
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup pesto sauce*
12 oz of fresh linguine
1 tablespoon butter
Preheat oven 425F. Place the first six ingredients in a baking dish ad roast for 20 minutes until tomatoes are hot and bubbly. Cool. Add pesto sauce to tomatoes; stirring until combined. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup water from pasta. Place pasta in large bowel toss with 1 tablespoon butter and reserved water. Add tomato/pesto sauce and toss again. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Pesto Sauce
4 cups packed fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
1/2 parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Combine basil, oil, pine nuts, and garlic in a blender. Blend until paste forms, stopping often to push down basil. Add both cheeses and salt; blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. Freeze unused pesto.
Enjoy!
