Tomatoes with Angel Hair Pasta

This is ALMOST a great no cook side dish, and it’s really not even something I measure. I know I’ve vowed to get better at that measuring thing, but here it is anyway. Once again I find myself with a ton of little tomatoes from my garden. Ina Garten has a great summer pasta recipe, and this is a version of that. Cut the tomatoes in half and add them to a large bowl. If I had to guess this is about a pint of cherry tomatoes. Add one clove of minced garlic and about 2 teaspoons of fresh basil (also in abundance in my garden right now). I also add a dash or two of crushed red pepper – totally optional – and about 1/2 a teaspoon of Kosher salt. I give it a heavy splash of good olive oil (1/4 cup or so), stir it together and cover it with plastic wrap. Leave it out on the counter for about 4 hours.

Cook up some angel hair pasta (according to the directions on the box) and toss it in with the tomato mixture. Add some parmesan cheese and a little more fresh basil and olive oil if you like. Check for salt and pepper and add to taste. I love this dish with any kind of chicken (this is a chicken parmesan cutlet), but it’s also really good with shrimp. Serve warm or room temperature. Enjoy!