Recipe: Give local tomatoes a final farewell in this quick fresh sauce for spaghetti

Serves 4

If you, like me, dread the passing of local tomato season, there's still time to give them a final farewell in this quick and easy spaghetti with fresh tomatoes and basil. Start by combining garlic, crushed red pepper, and olive oil in a cold pan. As the pan heats, the garlic infuses the oil and never gets so hot that it burns. As soon as it starts to sizzle, add three large cut-up tomatoes (no peeling or seeding required) and simmer for about five minutes. Use a potato masher to help break down the pieces and you have a chunky, fresh-tasting sauce. Cook the spaghetti until halfway done, drain it, and add it to the skillet of tomatoes. As the spaghetti finishes cooking in the sauce, the strands absorb its flavor. Finally, fold in fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan. Your homage to tomato season is complete and so is dinner.

Salt, to taste

3

tablespoons olive oil

2

cloves garlic, finely chopped

Pinch of crushed red pepper

3

large ripe heirloom or regular tomatoes (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds), cored and cut into 1-inch pieces

12

ounces spaghetti

10

cherry tomatoes (about 1/2 pint), halved

12

fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

¼

cup freshly grated Parmesan

Extra olive oil (for sprinkling)

Extra grated Parmesan (for serving)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. In a wide, deep skillet that is large enough to hold all the pasta later, combine the 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, and red pepper. Set the skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the garlic sizzles.

3. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the tomatoes soften. Once they've softened a little, mash with a potato masher to create a chunky sauce. Cook for 2 more minutes, or until most of the excess liquid evaporates (total cooking time is about 5 minutes).

4. Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. The pasta will not be fully cooked; you will cook it more later. Use a heatproof measuring cup to scoop 1 cup of pasta cooking water from the pan. Drain the pasta into a colander but do not rinse.

5. Add the pasta to the tomatoes. Cook over medium-high heat, turning the spaghetti often with tongs, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce reduces slightly, and the pasta is tender. If the sauce seems thick, add some of the pasta cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time.

6. Stir in the cherry tomatoes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the basil and Parmesan. Taste the spaghetti for seasoning and add more salt and red pepper, if you like. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter, sprinkle with olive oil, and serve with Parmesan.

Sally Pasley Vargas

Serves 4

If you, like me, dread the passing of local tomato season, there's still time to give them a final farewell in this quick and easy spaghetti with fresh tomatoes and basil. Start by combining garlic, crushed red pepper, and olive oil in a cold pan. As the pan heats, the garlic infuses the oil and never gets so hot that it burns. As soon as it starts to sizzle, add three large cut-up tomatoes (no peeling or seeding required) and simmer for about five minutes. Use a potato masher to help break down the pieces and you have a chunky, fresh-tasting sauce. Cook the spaghetti until halfway done, drain it, and add it to the skillet of tomatoes. As the spaghetti finishes cooking in the sauce, the strands absorb its flavor. Finally, fold in fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan. Your homage to tomato season is complete and so is dinner.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. In a wide, deep skillet that is large enough to hold all the pasta later, combine the 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, and red pepper. Set the skillet over medium-high heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the garlic sizzles.

3. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the tomatoes soften. Once they've softened a little, mash with a potato masher to create a chunky sauce. Cook for 2 more minutes, or until most of the excess liquid evaporates (total cooking time is about 5 minutes).

4. Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. The pasta will not be fully cooked; you will cook it more later. Use a heatproof measuring cup to scoop 1 cup of pasta cooking water from the pan. Drain the pasta into a colander but do not rinse.

5. Add the pasta to the tomatoes. Cook over medium-high heat, turning the spaghetti often with tongs, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce reduces slightly, and the pasta is tender. If the sauce seems thick, add some of the pasta cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time.

6. Stir in the cherry tomatoes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the basil and Parmesan. Taste the spaghetti for seasoning and add more salt and red pepper, if you like. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter, sprinkle with olive oil, and serve with Parmesan.Sally Pasley Vargas