Raw Summer Tomato Sauce for Pastas

By KodiakDavis

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ripe homegrown, heirloom or cherry tomatoes, at room temperature
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 large basil leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup or more freshly grated Grana Padano or cubed fresh mozzarella (optional)

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from aarp.org

Preparation

Step 1

Rinse the tomatoes, drain, and wipe dry.
Cut out the cores and any other tough parts.
Working over a big mixing bowl to catch all the juices, cut the tomatoes—regular tomatoes in 1-inch chunks, cherry tomatoes in half—and drop them into the bowl.
Smash the garlic cloves with a chef's knife, peel, and chop into a fine paste. (This is easier if you add some of the salt as you chop; mash the garlic bits and salt with the flat side of the knife, too.)
Scatter the garlic paste and the remaining salt over the tomatoes; stir gently.
Pile up the basil leaves and cut them into thin strips.
Scatter these over the tomatoes, then sprinkle in the crushed red pepper flakes.
Pour in the oil; stir and fold to coat the tomato mixture and distribute the seasonings.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
Let the sauce marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
Toss the marinated sauce with freshly cooked and drained pasta.
Serve as is, or toss in the cheese for extra richness.