If you have a lot of fresh basil in your garden

[rayjay]

LINGUINE WITH TOMATOES AND BASIL

4 large rip tomatoes cut into ½ inch cubes
1 pound Brie cheese, rind removed, torn into irregular strips
1 cup clean fresh basil leaves, cut into strips
3 garlic cloves peeled and finely minced (you can use a garlic press)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon best quality olive oil (extra virgin is great)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ lbs linguine
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Combine tomatoes, Brie, basil, garlic, 1 cup olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and the pepper in a large serving bowl. Prepare at least 2 hrs or up to 6 before serving , and set aside, covered at room temperature.

Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and remaining salt. Add the linguine and boil until tender but still firm, 8-10 minutes.

Drain pasta, and immediately toss with the tomato mixture. (You can return to pot off the heat to help melt the cheese better). Serve at once with the freshly grated cheese and freshly grated pepper.

Note: Brie cheese works very well in that it is soft and melts quick, and has a mild taste. You could probably use other soft cheeses that melt if you wish. Also reheats well in microwave.

Enjoy!

PS: This is a real summertime treat. Works best with nice ripe tomatoes from the garden. Easy to prepare too. Made it as a side dish for friends a week ago. It was a great hit.

 

[charbee]

That looks yummy. WIth the drought, basil is the only thing we've got left growing, and we've been drowning in it...which ain't a bad thing! Just gave away five pint containers of this:

Texas Pesto

Before you get started, roast about two cups of pecan halves on a pizza pan or cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes, and allow them to cool completely. You want them nicely browned, and they need to be cooled and crispy before you use them.

Clip about two dozen crowns of basil (the top four to six leaves/stems from the very ends of the branches...this encourages the plants to get bushier and sturdier, too), rinse, dry and put in the food processor bowl. Now rinse and dry a full bunch of flat-leaf Italian parsley, and clip it into two-inch sections over the top of the basil crowns. Bash and peel one whole pod of garlic, and add to the processor bowl. Add in 6 to 8 ounces of good-grade shredded Parmesan cheese, and about 4 ounces of grated Romano. Toss in your pecan halves. Add a generous pinch each of Kosher salt coarse-ground black pepper and put the lid on.

Now begin to just *barely* pulse the machine, about one second each pulse, and wait a second between. After about four to five pulses, you'll see the pecans and cheese begin to be pulled under and all the ingredients begin to incorporate. Stop and scrape the sides of your bowl, put the lid back on.

Now continue to pulse as you start to drizzle in *just enough* of a nice olive oil to serve as a "glue" to hold the now-chopped ingredients together. You want to use the short pulses to keep the consistency from turning to mush (under no circumstance should you just turn the machine "on"). What you're aiming for is a texture resembling coarse wet sand. Stop when you've reached that point! The whole process shouldn't take more than fifteen or twenty short pulses from start to finish.

You can press this into a container, flatten the top and float just a touch of olive oil on top to keep it from turning color. Makes just over a pint or so per batch.

Lasts in the fridge for at least a week, or freeze it. Just make sure to float a little oil on top after you use some. Besides tossing a few tablespoons to dress pasta, also killer as a snack spread on sliced baguette with a cherry tomato.

 

[petek]

I do have lotsa basil growing though.

I've been using it for bruschetta and home made salsa but I have to buy tomatoes since mine are barely ripening.

What's your bruschetta recipe?
Mine just tomatoes, bit of onion, basil, oil salt and lots and lots and lots of garlic with a dribble of olive oil.
Lightly chopped in the blender or food processor

 

[rayjay]

Hi Pete. I make the bruschetta about the same. I do add some ground black pepper. My tomatoes just started to ripen about 2 weeks ago.

Where are you located again?

Hope you enjoy the recipe.

Ray

 

[petek]

I'm right on the very bottom tip of Lake Huron at the river about 50 mi. north of Detroit

 

[appnut]

ray, the way your making my taste buds salivate, I may just help alleviate the drought down here!!

 

[rayjay]

Well Bob, Come on up to Jersey and I cook you some.

This is an easy dish. no peeling of the tomatoes.

 

[appnut]

gotta keep this going too

 

[spookiness]

pesto to freeze

I make batches of pesto freeze it and and eat it till it runs out sometime in the winter.