The Best of Summer
Monday, August 17, 2009 at 19:27 
It's been a while (again), but it's summer, and you don't want to hear excuses. Don't worry there is still time to make these, and those of you living in lands where summer is actually blistering hot, which makes tomatoes red and fragrant and juicy, will still have at least a month or longer to enjoy this recipe. Seriously, I dare you not to make it once a week for the rest of the season. I made it twice in less then a week's time.
This recipe has the classic simplicity of an Italian recipe, it utilizes the best of summer produce paired with my favorite starch, pasta and some ricotta thrown in for good measure. I dub it summer comfort food. Big flavor with little effort, but still nice enough for company, it's win-win situtation to be sure. If you're really lucky, you'll be able to find some bufula ricotta (like my sweetheart brought home for my second go of this recipe), and if you do, well you'll probably never go back.
Orcchiette with Salsa Cruda and Ricotta
source: Epicurious
1 medium shallot, minced
2 small garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped
1/4 tsp hot red-pepper flakes
1/3 cup coarsely chopped basil
1 lb (454g) dried orecchiette
3/4 cup ricotta (preferably fresh)
Stir together all ingredients except pasta and ricotta in a large bowl with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook orecchiette in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (according to Anna Del Conte this means your pasta water should be salty as the Mediterranean) until al dente.
Drain pasta and toss with tomato salsa. Season with salt and pepper and dollop with ricotta. Garnish with small basil leaves.
