Late summer and early fall is tomato season & many are looking for ways to make use of all the juicy tomatoes. Living in the PNW tomatoes can be very tricky to grow. Like me, maybe you're just looking for easy ways to incorporate fresh tomatoes from your local farmers market or tomato growing neighbours and friends. I have made this with locally grown Roma tomatoes, as well as heirloom varieties and this dish turned out equally wonderful. In fact, my husband almost ate the whole lot himself. This is very easy to adapt, to make vegan/vegetarian just leave out the tuna. Be sure to use the best quality tomatoes and ingredients in this, from olive oil to wine vinegar. I used my homemade chive blossom vinegar in this (recipe also on my blog) but red wine or champagne vinegar would taste equally lovely. Make sure you allow the ingredients and all the flavours to meld together. I allow about 2-3 hours for that to happen but even a half day would be fine. Just set them aside in a covered bowl while you get other things done. You can make this with any kind of pasta, even spiralized vegetable noodles. I have included 2 methods of making this recipe. The second method is a more recent one where I simply add each individual ingredient to the cooked pasta, stir and allow it to marinate in the fridge for about 30-60 minutes before enjoying. I have also enjoyed the pasta straight away without marinating and it was also very delicious.
For the grain free version, using the smoked tuna really perfumes and elevates the whole dish. If you can’t find smoked tuna, then use whatever smoked fish you can find. Oh and don’t let the nasturtium flowers scare you, they are light and peppery and really add a gentle but bright flavour to this dish.
Place the tomatoes, oil, vinegar, salt, garlic and chili flakes in a medium bowl. Stir. Set aside on the counter for several hours. Boil water for your noodles/pasta. Once pasta is cooked add it to your bowl of ingredients, along with cheese, tuna and basil/thyme leaves.
Stir well and drizzle with extra olive oil and sea salt. Enjoy!
Method 2: Cook your pasta noodles and then simply add all of the individual ingredients to a large bowl, along with the cooked noodles and stir. Allow to marinate about 30 minutes in the fridge. Of if you are impatient like me, enjoy straight away. Marinating simply allows the flavours to meld a little more.
Method is the same as the above version. Make sure you chop all the herbs finely and tear the basil with your hands (tearing soft herbs like basil are very delicate and chopping with a knife will bruise them and can blacken them). Add the nasturtiums a the very end and stir.
Ingredients
Directions
Place the tomatoes, oil, vinegar, salt, garlic and chili flakes in a medium bowl. Stir. Set aside on the counter for several hours. Boil water for your noodles/pasta. Once pasta is cooked add it to your bowl of ingredients, along with cheese, tuna and basil/thyme leaves.
Stir well and drizzle with extra olive oil and sea salt. Enjoy!
Method 2: Cook your pasta noodles and then simply add all of the individual ingredients to a large bowl, along with the cooked noodles and stir. Allow to marinate about 30 minutes in the fridge. Of if you are impatient like me, enjoy straight away. Marinating simply allows the flavours to meld a little more.
Method is the same as the above version. Make sure you chop all the herbs finely and tear the basil with your hands (tearing soft herbs like basil are very delicate and chopping with a knife will bruise them and can blacken them). Add the nasturtiums a the very end and stir.