When I think of Summer there are so many things that pop into my head. Warm, toasty sunrays hitting fair, freckled skin. The sound of laughter and splashing coming from the pool. Waves gently crashing against the golden sand. The drip of that single drop of perspiration sliding off an ice cold beverage cup. And yes, the scrape, rustle and cheerful chatter of people having their picnics and barbeques. It's such a joyous and bright time of year I don't always think of food right away and yet there it is, inherent in everything. The item all our social gatherings revolve around. An item that in fact many take for granted, but for those of us who are medically gluten free it's not always so easy.
Don't get me wrong. There are certain wonderful summertime options, all the berries, plums, peaches, watermelon, cantaloupe. There's various delicious summertime vegetables like sweet corn, zucchini, and tomatoes. You can even enjoy some grilled tastiness in the form of chicken or ribs.
What if that's not really to your taste though? What if you love winter and it's many amazing pasta's and baked goods? Suddenly you, the gluten free cook, need to find something that is light, refreshing, summery but also a little hardier. This is where my favorite summertime dish comes in. It's so easy to make and so good to eat on the go, at a picnic, as a potluck item for a family barbeque or even just because that's what you want. It has that feel of a really good, hearty Italian/American dish yet the cool, fresh taste your looking for in a Summer dish.
Pasta with Marinated Tomatoes:
The ingredients are simple: diced tomato fresh or canned though canned is easier, sliced black olives, olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil, parsley and rosemary. Choose your favorite pasta preferably capellini or spaghetti (I prefer brands that are made in Italy) and you're ready to go.
The method is even more simple, and honestly that's most of what makes this a great treat for your summer enjoyment.
Tip 1: Use plenty of garlic. As in most Italian/American dishes garlic is your friend. You're going to mix the diced tomatoes, sliced olives, olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs together in a ceramic, plastic or other non metal container and let it marinade in the refrigerator overnight or through the day if you want to prepare it in the morning. All that time sitting there allows the wonderful garlic flavor to really get infused throughout the tomatoes so you have a super flavorful dish come dinner time.
Tip 2: This is one dish where using canned diced tomatoes doesn't hurt. They not only have a bit more juice to them but the salt content is already there so you don't need to add any more salt. If you really don't like that slight metallic flavor and want some bright, fresh tomatoes from the garden or market instead I completely understand. Just make sure to add in a healthy pinch of salt to really bring out those wonderful tomato accents.
Tip 3: Add a few minutes extra to your pasta cook time. Yes, yes, I know. On a normal basis you would be told DO NOT OVERCOOK the pasta. In just about all cases al dente is best and overcooked is not. For this dish you still don't want to overcook the pasta too much, but you may want to leave it on for a few minutes longer than usual. See, gluten free pastas like to harden a bit when it's left sitting out or when it gets cold, so if it's just slightly overcooked it won't end up so hard and chalky it's inedible. Example: I typically cook this gluten free capellini for about 5 minutes and it's perfect. For this dish I put it in for 9-10 minutes instead.
Tip 4: Even with tip 3 since you are now eating gluten free and gf pastas work differently you don't want to refrigerate this dish after adding the pasta. People who still want to make this dish using wheat based pastas can choose between cooking the pasta (al dente) and adding just before serving or refrigerating it a few hours longer. Those making the dish gluten free should always cook and stir in the pasta just before bringing it to their gathering or putting it out on the table.
The recipe in full:
Pasta with Marinated Tomatoes
Ingredients:
3-4 cloves fresh garlic
1 handful chopped fresh basil
1 handful chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 large 28 ounce can diced tomatoes and juices
1 small 12-14 ounce can sliced black olives
1/4 cup olive oil
8 ounces gluten free capellini or spaghetti
1 large pot boiling water with a splash of olive oil
Instructions:
1. Prepare your ingredients by finely dicing the garlic and chopping all your fresh herbs. You can include the stems for the basil and parsley but not the rosemary.
2. Mix tomatoes, drained olives, herbs, and olive oil in a non metal container. As desired, prepare before bed and let container sit in refrigerator overnight until dinner the next day or prepare in the morning and allow to sit in the refrigerator during the day.
3. Cook the pasta as per package instructions adding a splash of olive oil to prevent clumping. Add on just a few minutes (about 4-5) past al dente.
4. Stir the pasta into the marinade. Serve and enjoy!
About the Creator
Rita DeStefano
Born with art in my soul, then taught to express it in various ways, my first and primary passion is writing. I love writing romantic fantasy, though will dabble in other genres. I hope you love my stories as much as I enjoy writing them.
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