At the Cheeses of France tasting on Saturday I had a classic French infused chevre -- Chevre aux Piment d'Espelette and it inspired me to craft this pasta dish -- a celebration of the last heirloom tomatoes available this season.
So what goes into the pasta dish?
Heirloom tomatoes
Sundried tomatoes
Baby Sweet bell peppers
EVOO
Garlic
Chevre aux Piment d'Espelette
Parsley
Basil
Oregano
Rosemary
Thyme
Sea Salt / Black Pepper
Raffetto's homemade thin tomato linguine
Optional Capers
Yes you have to head down to West Houston Street to get this fresh homemade linguine but I guarantee it will be worth it, just don't go on a Sunday or Monday, Raffetto's is closed. In case you're unfamiliar with what Raffetto's is, it is an old world NYC Italian institution where they make their own pasta and have a variety of Italian cheeses and other food products. It is just a treat to walk through the door, no pretense, no frills here. Once you've acquired your pasta and have your veggies and cheese you are ready to start cooking.
Preheat the oven to 350 and dice up a few baby sweet bell peppers, toss them with some sundried tomatoes, two chopped up garlic cloves, some oregano, rosemary and thyme, EVOO and sea salt. Roast for twenty minutes or until the peppers are golden brown and smelling cooked. While they are cooking, boil the water for your pasta. Fresh homemade pasta cooks much quicker than the dried store bought kind, so make sure to check the pasta at about half of the time as you would if it was dried. Meanwhile, dice up some of your heirloom tomatoes and toss them with some fresh basil and parsley, sea salt, and EVOO. Once the oven roasted veggies are finished as is your linguine, toss everything together and top with a few basil leaves along with a nice chunk of the Chevre aux Piment d'Espelette which will add a nice lactic creamy yet somewhat spicy tang to the dish. I also like to add a handful of capers to dial up the briny saltiness of the dish but capers surely aren't for everyone so if you don't like their flavor, by all means them out. Enjoy with a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.
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