for yoga gail

Funny thing about blogging is that you never really know what might get someone’s attention. Recently crossed paths with beautiful yoga Gail, she’s into her family and a healthy lifestyle. Asked me about this pasta brie tomato basil dish, here it is:

Silver Palate Cookbook calls it Linguine with Tomatoes and Basil. We kind of just do it. Here it is verbatim from the book-

4 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 lb Brie, rind removed, torn into irregular pieces

1 cup fresh basil leaves, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into strips

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon  best quality olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste

1/2 teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds linguine

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish (optional)

1. At least 2 hours before serving, combine the tomatoes, Brie, basil, garlic, the 1 cup olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large serving bowl.

2. Bring 6 quarts salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the linguine, and boil until tender but still firm, 8 – 10 minutes.

3. Drain the pasta and immediately toss with the tomato sauce. Serve at once, passing the pepper mill, and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, if you like.

Every day dress loosely adapted from The Silver Palate: Okay, so here are notes from the field: family and friends much prefers and it’s so much easier to use organic small cherry tomatoes. Multiple colors are good. Simply slice in half. In the heat of summer of course use the big guys, but then you have to seed them. 1 cup of fresh basil leaves is a little heavy, and we certainly don’t rinse and pat dry, simply stack those leaves one on top of each other into a tight little roll and slice into strips. 3 cloves garlic? Totally, but must be fresh and must be organic. The 1 pound of Brie? Sometimes I’m sneaky and use all the leftover Brie wedges from the night or two or three before. When it’s all shredded up you never really know. Linguine? Really never do the pound and a half, usually it’s the one 14 ounce box. Ever notice how the whole wheat is 14 ounces and the other is the straight pound box? It’s got to be whole wheat and it’s got to be De Cecco. Until I find a better one, that’s the one and only. Optional freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese? DUH, are you kidding? Absolutely yes on the freshly grated cheese.

Since it now gets dark at 5 pm, thank you Gail for asking about this height of summer dish. Really works anytime of year, now with those crazy growing seasons and shipping schedules, and makes great lunch leftovers. Decadent and healthy.

Every day dress and every day cook.