Pasta With Tomato Raw Sauce
- 1 pound short cut pasta, such as strozzapretti or casarecci
- 4 large or 6 medium heirloom tomatoes (about 2 pounds), seeded and chopped
- 20 basil leaves, torn
- 10 sprigs tarragon, leaves removed and chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large garlic clove, grated
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 4 ounces ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (or another dry cheese such as feta or goat)
Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add a generous amount of salt and the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water when you drain the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, add the tomatoes, basil, tarragon, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Using a microplane or the fine side of a box grater, grate the garlic into the bowl.
Add the cooked pasta to the bowl and drizzle with the EVOO. Add some of the reserved pasta water to create a sauce and toss to combine.
Allow the pasta and tomatoes to rest a few minutes before serving so the flavors have a chance to meld.
Top with crumbled ricotta salata cheese and serve your favorite garlic bread alongside.