Using fresh tomatoes during the peak summer season will make this dish pop with intense flavor that balances the savory with the sweet. Beat the winter blues by picking up sun-ripened tomatoes—usually available year-round at organic grocery stores—and bring summer that much closer.
The recipe was excerpted from the book Wolfgang Puck Makes It Healthy. Copyright 2014 by Wolfgang Puck Worldwide Inc. Reprinted with permission from Grand Central Life & Style. All rights reserved. Some recipes adapted by M&F.
Ingredients
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup plus 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves
2 anchovy fillets, patted dry with paper towels
¼ tsp red-pepper flakes
1 pound red or mixed red and yellow cherry tomatoes, some left whole, some halved
¼ pound large sun-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
¼ cup coarsely chopped pitted cured black olives
¼ cup well-drained sun-dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips
½ tbsp sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¾ pound bite-size whole-wheat pasta, such as fusilli, bow ties, or medium shells
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
In a food processor fitted with a stainless steel blade, combine oil, ½ cup parsley, garlic, anchovies, and red pepper. Process until uniformly pureed.
Pour puree into a large bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, sun-ripened tomatoes, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. Season with sugar, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
As soon as pot of water comes to a boil, salt water. Add pasta and cook until al dente—tender but still slightly chewy—following the manufacturer’s suggested cooking time. Drain pasta and immediately add it to bowl with tomato mixture. Add remaining 1 tbsp parsley and toss well.
Spoon the pasta into individual large, shallow serving bowls. Serve immediately, passing Parmesan to guests who want it.
