Pasta Fresca

Pasta Fresca

Ingredients:
4 C chopped ripe tomatoes
6-8 large fresh basil leaves
1 large garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound butterfly (bow tie) or fusilli pasta
½ pound fresh mozzarella cheese cut into 1/2 inch cubes (The block type, can be substituted.)
grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (optional)

(Fresh Mozzarella comes in a large white ball sealed in plastic or in other sizes. It is sometimes packaged in a slightly salted liquid. Fresh is creamier and softer than block cheese, and worth a taste! Try Belgioso brand, an award-winning cheese made in Denmark, WI near Green Bay!)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil.
Set aside 1 cup of the chopped tomatoes and 2 of the basil leaves. In a blender or food processor, puree the remaining tomatoes and basil with the garlic and olive oil until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
When the water comes to a rolling boil, stir in the pasta. Return to a boil. Cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Cut the reserved basil leaves into thin strips.
Drain the cooked pasta. Toss it immediately with the mozzarella cheese cubes. Add the sauce and mix well.
Top with the reserved tomatoes, basil, and grated cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 to 6 servings. Per 8 oz serving: 273 calories, 11.7g protein, 9.2 grams fat, 36.2 grams carbohydrate, 173 mg sodium, 63 mg cholesterol

Story:
Summer abundance. It pours forth richly and wonderfully in oh so many ways. Including tomatoes! Making quick and easy meals gives us more time to enjoy summer abundance. This is one of the Margaret Bluske family's favorite quick and easy recipes, made all the more delicious by the fact that it is strictly for this time of year when the tomatoes are vine-ripened and the basil is fresh. Enjoy, courtesy of The Moosewood Collective and Margaret Bluske.

Buying local can be as local as our own garden tomatoes, basil and garlic. It used to mean foraging in the nearby forest or hunting and fishing, too.  In our day, buying local is a discipline that can do wonders for the earth. Buying from local storekeepers, farmers, and industries honors people who work the land and support the community through goods and services. When a household, workplace or any institution to which we belong buys local, the connection we have with our neighbors grows stronger.

Consider these local sources: farmer's markets, local food co-op, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), bartering, regional farms and businesses like Belgioso Cheese noted above.  Although we may sometimes enjoy the convenience of shopping online or at a big chain, the effort to buy local protects the earth and all who inhabit Our Common Home all year and in this Season of Creation.

The photo above was taken at Pedal Pushers’ Café in Lanesboro, Minnesota. They buy fresh and local organic food – Farm to Table - as much as possible, saving fuel, pesticides/herbicides, local jobs and the family farm economy.

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