Linguini Tomato

This linguini puts roasted tomatoes to work in two ways: blended into a concentrated sauce AND sliced as a garnish around the plate. The sauce reduces by a third so the roasted tomato and garlic flavor becomes intense and almost jammy.

The plating makes this look like it came out of a restaurant kitchen. Linguini gets tossed in the sauce, mounded in the center of each bowl, then ringed with alternating slices of grilled Roma tomatoes and sauteed portobello mushrooms. A blanched basil leaf in the center and a fresh one on top finish it off.

No cream, no cheese, no oil in the sauce. This is all about the concentrated flavor of roasted tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil.

Pro Tips

• Roast the tomatoes and garlic before blending for the deepest flavor. Raw tomatoes make a bright, acidic sauce. Roasted ones are sweeter and more complex.
• Reduce the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon. A thin sauce slides off the pasta and pools at the bottom of the bowl.
• Grill or oven-roast the Roma tomatoes for the garnish separately. They should hold their shape in slices, not fall apart.

Variations

• Toss in a handful of kalamata olives and capers for a puttanesca-leaning version.
• Add grilled chicken or seared shrimp on top for protein.
• Use any large mushroom variety. Cremini, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms all work well in place of portobello.