Fusilli With Burst Grape Tomatoes

In addition to corn, there are great tomatoes and peaches in the market now.  We take advantage of this rich supply to make a burst tomato sauce for pasta, choosing grape tomatoes for a refreshing summer dish.  We first cook fusilli to just shy of al dente and set it aside while we gather our other ingredients:  pancetta, garlic, red pepper flakes, butter, ricotta cheese, scallions, and mint leaves.

Ingredients

In a large skillet, we sauté the pancetta in a little olive oil, then add garlic and red pepper flakes cooked until fragrant.  Next, the tomatoes are halved and cooked until the burst and slightly shriveled.

Preparing the tomato sauce

We then add the pasta with a little pasta cooking water, cook until the pasta is finished, then toss with butter to coat everything.

Add the pasta, then butter

We prepare a simple salad of sliced fresh peaches from the market drizzled with balsamic vinegar (from Modena of course).

Peach salad

The pasta is divided among warmed pasta bowls, garnished with dollops of ricotta, topped with torn fresh mint and sliced scallions, and drizzled with olive oil.

Ready to go

Dinner is served

What a delightful summer meal with fresh fruit and vegetables from the market.