It was a little late in coming, but tomato season is finally in full swing. Walking past a mound of multihued heirlooms and breathing in their tomatoey aromas makes me think of pasta, panzanella and caprese salads. I've even been known to make a sandwich with nothing more than good bread, mayonnaise, a slice of sweet onion and thick slab of tomato sprinkled with salt and pepper.
I also like to chop up tomatoes and use them in an uncooked "sauce." The juices of the tomato combine with extra virgin olive oil and a little pasta water to form a sauce that lightly coats the pasta.
You can add a soft cheese and the sauce becomes thicker and more luscious. The rest of the ingredients, which serve as garnish and provide added flavor, are up to you.
I decided to go with olives, capers, goat cheese and finely sliced basil, although mint would be lovely, too. The olives and capers yield bursts of salt that complement the sweet tomatoes, while the goat cheese adds a nice tang.
This dish was on the menu for a dinner I cooked recently and paired with an Italian Barbera and a lighter-style Zinfandel from Paso Robles. Both wines are tomato-friendly - their fruit pairs well with the tomato flavor, and the salt in the olives and capers boost the dark fruit in the wines.
With so many varieties of tomatoes, it's difficult for me to pick out a favorite. But if you want to do a comparative tasting, you might want to check out next year's Kendall-Jackson Annual Heirloom Tomato Festival, which is generally held the third Saturday of September at the winery just north of Santa Rosa.
Tomato, Olive & Feta Pasta
Serves 4-6
Top-of-the-season tomatoes make a lovely fresh sauce when they are left uncooked then tossed in with hot pasta. Select fully ripe tomatoes for best results. The juice from the tomatoes and the cheese combine to make the sauce, which is studded with salty bits of olives and capers.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
-- Kosher salt, to taste
1 pound orecchiette, bucatini or linguine
1 1/2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
4 ounces coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives (about 1/2 cup)
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups) + more to garnish (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons rinsed, chopped capers, or to taste
-- Generous drizzles of extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons thinly shredded mint or basil + more to garnish
-- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions: Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onions, cooking until soft but not browned.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in well-salted water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
Add the tomatoes to the onions. Warm through, then add the pasta, olives, cheese and capers to taste. Toss to thoroughly combine. When pasta is warmed through, add extra-virgin olive oil to taste (it will also help loosen the pasta). If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the mixture.
Add the mint or basil, and pepper to taste. Garnish with more herbs and some crumbles of cheese if desired.
Per serving: 582 calories, 20 g protein, 79 g carbohydrate, 23 g fat (8 g saturated), 38 mg cholesterol, 970 mg sodium, 6 g fiber.
Wine pairing: Try a Barbera, rosé or medium-bodied easy-drinking Zinfandel such as the 2010 Buena Vista Viticultural Society Sonoma Zinfandel ($15; 14.5% alcohol).
