Best to beat the heat.

I had not planned to write this, hence the paucity of photos but with the heat wave upon us, I changed my mind. This is the easiest pasta sauce imaginable. It requires a minimum of ingredients and even those can be switched out to suit the taste of the chef. I had a box of grape tomatoes, some basil and a box of medium shells. Red wine vinegar, olive oil. That’s it.

dDirections? 1/2 hour before you plan to put the water on to boil and depending on whether you are using cherry or grape tomatoes, cut the tomatoes in either half or quarters. Add to a bowl along with a splash of red wine vinegar and salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit. Boil the pasta according to box instructions. Drain. Add olive oil to tomato mix and toss. Add pasta and basil and eat. Can even be served at room temperature. If you want, you can add things like chopped anchovies, chopped capers, chopped onions, but all that requires more work and when you are too wilted to cook, chopping just becomes another heat producer. Swap out tomatoes for grated zucchini if that is your pleasure. You are only limited by your imagination!

Isn’t this a picture? I prefer the shape pastas to the long pastas for this recipe. And I love the way the shells capture the tomato pieces. Enjoy!