This recipe is so simple and one of my favorite go-to meals when I'm in a time crunch. It's also a staple when I'm craving a big bowl of pasta .
For the past two years I've lived at 8500 feet in the Rocky Mountains. It's a beautiful place to live but a horrible altitude to grow fresh, anything! I've recently moved to a lower elevation in Colorado allowing me to grow herbs and fresh veggies. My basil is super happy on my back porch and a delicious addition to this fresh pasta sauce.
Making a Chiffonade is the easiest way to cut basil for your recipes. "Chiffon" is French for "rag" referring to the fabric-like strips that result from this technique. To chiffonade simply means to turn into rag-like strips". Source wikipedia
Simply, lay several basil leaves together and roll into a tight cigar shape. Using a sharp paring knife, cut slices of basil to resemble strips. You can chop the strips further if you prefer a smaller bite.
Recipe Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce
serves 4
2 large beef steak tomatoes
3 gloves garlic minced
5 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup olive oil plus 1 tablespoon
3-4 leaves fresh basil
Method
- In a large stock pot prepare pasta, while pasta is cooking
- Coarsely chop tomatoes
- using a large heavy bottom skillet saute tomatoes in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 5 minutes on medium high heat
- add garlic
- saute additional 4 minutes
- add 1/4 cup olive oil and butter, cook until butter is melted stirring occasionally
- remove from heat, add fresh basil salt and pepper to taste
- drain pasta
- return pasta to skillet and cook additional 2-3 minutes, serve
Optional: add pine nuts, artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes