Every year it seems like the tomatoes won't start and then it seems like they just won't stop. At some point, you realize that you need to start taking outside a bigger bowl for the haul we pick after we stop work each day.
Mind you, the big tomatoes have yet to really get with the program. But the cherry cherries? They're insane. Especially the Candyland red tomato I got as part of Totally Tomatoes Little Bites collection.
I've never been one of those people who have so many cherry tomatoes they don't know what to do with them, even when I bring in multiple pints a day, because there are so many delightful things to do with them. Fresh tomato salsa, vats of tomato confit to put up in the freezer, and innumerable pasta options. Here are a few more I tried recently.
Late summer Bolognese
Adapted from Bon Appetit Sept. 2020
Ingredients
½ cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
¼ white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 pints cherry tomatoes
1 red chili (I used Fresno) thinly sliced
1 pound rigatoni or bucatini
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
1½ cups basil leaves, torn if in large pieces
Method
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Add chicken, season with salt, and cook until only a slight bit of pink remains, stirring occasionally to break up chicken.
Add white wine and cook over medium low heat until wine is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes and chile and cook until tomatoes begin to burst. Smash some of them with the back of a spoon to make a sauce and cook until somewhat thickened.
Meanwhile, cook pasta until just al dente. Drain into sauce mixture, adding more cooking liquid if needed. Add butter and Parmesan. Add most of basil and toss together. Serve garnished with remaining basil and some more Parmesan.
Rating: Dave really liked this one. I thought it was a fine cross between a traditional, hours-cooked meaty bolognese and fresh tomato sauce. It's certainly faster, and it bought me a lot more space back on my countertop that was covered with plates of little tomatoes.
Burst cherry tomato sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit, August 2020
Ingredients
½ cup olive oil
6 thinly sliced garlic cloves
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 pints cherry tomatoes
2 large basil sprigs plus 1 cup basil leaves
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
12 ounces fettucine or linguine
½ cup Parmesan cheese, divided
Method
Start water to boil for pasta. Cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pot over low heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until just fragrant. Add tomatoes, basil sprigs and salt. Cook over medium heat, covered, until tomatoes start to burst. Uncover and smash some of the tomatoes with a back of a spoon and cook until a sauce forms.
Add drained pasta, most of the Parmesan cheese and the basil leaves. Season to taste with salt and serve garnished with remaining Parmesan.
Rating: Couldn't get much simpler or tastier. A definite entry into the weeknight summer rotation. Feel free to toss in which ever herb you've got the most of right now.
