Mid-July means that the tomato plants are producing lots of little cherry tomatoes. Most nights, when I go out to harvest, handfuls get eaten before they get into the house. Some of them make it into a salad or are dressed with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cherry tomatoes off the vine are super sweet and bursting with flavor. So, when they go into this Cherry Tomato and Baby Mozzarella Linguini, I like to leave them just barely cooked, so they are slightly soft and still have their sweetness. Super juicy and fresh!
Read MoreGrowing up, our refrigerator was usually stocked with salami and cheese from the Italian market, small packages wrapped in white paper containing all of my favorite treats. I would unwrap each parcel, unidentified white butcher paper with just a price scribbled down, not knowing what I would find inside. Some sliced mortadella, Salami Toscano, prosciutto, a few balls of fresh mozzarella, a thick swirl of peppery pancetta, and a large piece of Pecorino Romano were most likely uncovered. When the large packages of basil start to appear in grocery store produce sections, and our basil plant produced enough bright green leaves, it's time to make pesto. Fusilli pasta with pesto was one of my favorite meals, which made making it at home especially exciting.
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