Angel Hair Pasta Withfresh Tomato& Basil Sauce

This is summer pasta at its simplest. Hot angel hair gets tossed with raw chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, parsley, scallions, sliced green olives, and olive oil. The heat from the pasta barely wilts the tomatoes, releasing their juices into a light, fresh sauce that coats the thin strands.

No cooking the sauce. No simmering. The raw tomatoes are the whole point, so this only works with ripe, in-season tomatoes that actually taste like something. Mealy winter tomatoes will give you a bland, watery dish.

Skin the tomatoes before chopping. A quick dip in boiling water loosens the skins, and peeled tomatoes melt into the pasta better than ones with curled-up skin bits throughout.

Kitchen Tips

• Toss and serve immediately. Angel hair clumps fast as it cools, and the sauce needs the pasta’s heat to come together.
• Don’t skimp on the olive oil. It’s the only fat in the dish and does all the work of binding the tomatoes to the pasta.
• Chop the tomatoes coarsely so they hold some shape. Diced too fine and they turn into mush.

Variations

• Swap green olives for kalamata or black olives for a bolder, brinier flavor.
• Add crumbled feta or shaved Parmesan on top for a salty, creamy element.
• Toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes for a subtle heat that plays off the sweet tomatoes.