Fusilli With Basil Feta And Plum Tomatoes Recipes

FUSILLI WITH NO-COOK FRESH TOMATO & MOZZARELLA SAUCE

Steps:

• Dice tomatoes and mozzarella cheese into 1/2 inch pieces; place in medium bowl.
• Mix in basil, olive oil, vinegar, garlic and red pepper flakes.
• Season as desired with salt and pepper.
• Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente (about 9 minutes).
• Drain pasta and return to same pot.
• Add tomato& cheese mixture and toss with pasta over low heat until cheese begins to melt.
• Transfer pasta to platter or large bowl and sprinkle with pine nuts.
• Garnish with basil leaves if desired.

FUSILLI WITH CHèRE, TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Blanch tomatoes in pot in boiling water for 20 seconds. Drain. Peel tomatoes. Cut tomatoes in half; squeeze out seeds. Chop tomatoes; place in large bowl. Mix in oil, vinegar and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta. Add pasta, goat cheese and basil to tomato mixture. Toss until mixture is well blended and cheese melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

TOMATO, BASIL, AND FETA SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and feta cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

FUSILLI WITH FRESH TOMATO AND OLIVE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add olives, chopped onion, chopped garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté until onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and stir until tomatoes are just warmed through, about 2 minutes. Mix in red wine vinegar. Add cooked pasta, 1 cup Parmesan cheese and fresh basil and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Serve with remaining Parmesan cheese.

FUSILLI ALLA CAPRESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

SOUTHWEST FUSILLI WITH TOMATOES, GARLIC AND CHILIES

Steps:

• Prepare tomatoes:
• Bring medium pot of water to boil. Fill medium bowl with cold water and place on work surface close to pot. Cut shallow X through skin at bottom of tomatoes. Working in batches, add tomatoes to boiling water and cook 30 seconds to blanch. Using slotted spoon, transfer each batch of tomatoes to cold water to cool quickly
• Using small sharp knife as aid and starting at X on bottom, pull skin off tomatoes. Using same knife, make neat sone-shaped incision around core at stem end of each tomato; remove cores. Cut tomatoes in half crosswise; squeeze out seeds. Cut tomatoes into small dice and place in large bowl. Season with salt.
• Make fresh tomato sauce:
• Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over high heat. Add garlic and sauté just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour garlic oil over tomatoes and toss to blend. Mix in cilantro, onion, lime juice, chilies, tomato paste and chili powder. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Make pasta:
• Cook fusilli in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain fusilli well. Add fusilli and half of cheese to tomato sauce; toss to blend. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer past to large shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.