Summer Garden Pasta

This is a Barefoot Contessa reciepe that I just feel in love with when I made it last night. This recipe uses suprisingly simple ingredients but it has lots of flavor without being loaded with butter and cream. It's the essence of summer.

Serves 6

4 pints cherry tomatoes, halved. Mix and match yellow and red if available
Good EVOO
2 tbls minced garlic (6 cloves)
18 large basil leaves, julienned, plus extra for serving
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. freshly groung black pepper
1 pound Angel hair pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parm, plus extra for serving

Combine the cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup EVOO, garlic, basil leaves, red pepper flakes, 1tsp. salt adn the pepper in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temp for a max of 4 hours.

Just before you are ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water with a slash of EVOO to a boil. Add the pasta. Cook al dente according to the directions on the box. Drain the pasta well and add to the bowl with the cherry tomatoes. Add the cheese and some extra basil leaves and toss well.

Serve in large bowls with extra cheese on each serving.

*Fonda Riff* - We thought that this would be really good topped with crisped panchetta or bacon. Course, we think bacon goes with great with just about everything!!