イタリア仕込みトマト＆バジルたっぷりパスタ
トマトの美味しい季節です。昔、仕事でイタリアに行った時現地に住むガイドさんに教えてもらったパスタ料理。店頭でバジルをあまり見かけない日本ではなかなか作れなかったのですが、今年庭にバジルの種を蒔いたら瑞々しい葉っぱに成長しました。一緒に蒔いたケールは葉を全部芋虫に食べられてしまいましたがバジルは香りが芋虫を遠ざけたようです。
作り方は簡単。トマトとバジルの葉をザクザクと切ります。トマトは種は取り絞って水分を出しておきます。ニンニクはみじん切り。後は塩を入れたお湯でパスタを少し歯ごたえが残る硬さ（アルダンテ）に茹でて、オリーブオイルで水分を絞った野菜と混ぜて塩コショーで味を調整。そう、火を通すのはパスタだけ。あまりに簡単なので料理とは言えないのか料理本では見たことがありません。ボストンでは近くの農場のトマトが甘くてバジルもたくさん手に入ったので１週間に一度は作ってました。
友人に教えてあげたらトマト嫌いの娘さんもこの料理だけは喜んで食べると言ってくれました。トマトもバジルもどっさり。たくさん作っても家族三人でペロリと食べてしまうほどで夏バテ気味の方にはオススメです。我が家の夏の定番メニューでした。
ニンニクはみじん切り
t’s the best season for tomatoes. Some decades ago, when I went to Italy, I got a pasta recipe from a guide who was living in Italy. Since it was hard to find basil at Japanese supermarkets, I couldn’t make this dish often in Japan, but this year I sowed basil seeds in my backyard and they grew with fresh and sweet fragrant green leaves. I sowed kale seeds, too but the leaves were all eaten by caterpillars or other insects. Probably they don’t like the smell of basil and that’s why only basil grew without any damage. The recipe for this pasta is very easy. First, cut tomatoes and basil roughly. Take the seeds of the tomatoes off and squeeze out the water. Chop garlic. Next, boil pasta with salt in al dente. Then, mix pasta and squeezed vegetables with olive oil. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper. Only pasta is needed to boil. I have never seen this recipe in a cookbook, maybe because it is too simple. When I was in Boston, I could get sweet tomatoes and fresh basils easily at the farm nearby my house. I gave this recipe to my friend and later she told me that her daughter who usually didn’t like tomatoes appreciated eating this dish. I made this for my family almost once a week because all of my family members like this pasta very much . It must be good for the people who experience summer heat fatigue. I am sure you will enjoy this meal.
2020/07/19
