Recipe: Spaghetti all Chitarra Sorrentina

This basic fresh tomato sauce is best in the summer when tomatoes are in season, but using my technique for semidry tomatoes it is also delicious to use winter greenhouse tomatoes.  Add greens such as spinach or swiss chard if desired and feel free to play with the fresh herb
s, chive or oregano would work well too.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups fresh cherry tomatoes

2 cups semidry cherry tomatoes***

3/4 cup Fior di Latte mozzarella, julienned

1/2 cup grated Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, left whole

1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

2 handfuls fresh basil, roughly choppped

Cooked pasta, enough for 4 servings.

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, saute onions and garlic clove in olive oil until golden. Once cooked remove garlic.

2. Add fresh tomatoes. Cook a few minutes until softened, then add semidry tomatoes. Simmer a few minutes more and remove from heat.

3. Gently fold cooked, drained pasta and grated Parmiggiano into sauce.

4. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, Fior di Latte, fresh basil and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

***Semidry tomatoes are available in most grocery stores and specialty shops. For this recipe, drain oil from tomatoes.  To make at home, halve fresh cherry tomatoes and spread on baking tray.  Sprinkle with a little sea salt. Bake in low oven at 250F until they shrivel, about 90 minutes.  Once dehydrated, broil to brown the edges lightly.

 

 

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