Kimberley's Chilled Tomato Salsa with Angel Hair Pasta

This angel hair pasta gets topped with a raw tomato salsa that’s closer to a bruschetta topping than a cooked sauce. Chopped Roma tomatoes, red and yellow bell peppers, white onion, garlic, and fresh basil tossed in extra-virgin olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and white pepper. No cooking the sauce. It goes straight onto hot pasta.

The contrast of cold, raw vegetables against steaming angel hair is the whole point. The heat from the pasta slightly wilts the basil and warms the tomatoes just enough to release their juices, which mingle with the olive oil into a light, fresh dressing.

Roma tomatoes are the right choice here. They have thick, meaty walls and less juice than slicing tomatoes, so the salsa stays chunky on top of the pasta instead of drowning it in liquid.

Pro Tips

• Use the best extra-virgin olive oil you have. With no cooking to mellow it, the oil flavor is front and center. A grassy, peppery oil makes a noticeable difference.
• Chop everything to a similar size so every forkful gets a balanced mix of tomato, pepper, and onion.
• White pepper instead of black keeps the sauce visually clean. The flavor is slightly milder and more floral.
• Serve the crushed red pepper and grated Romano on the side so each person can adjust heat and richness to taste.

Variations

• Add diced fresh mozzarella for a caprese-style pasta dish.
• Toss in a handful of pitted Kalamata olives and capers for a Mediterranean twist.
• Use spaghetti or linguine if angel hair feels too delicate for the chunky topping.