Ingredients
- 4 ripe plum tomatoes, diced (no peeling or seeding here)
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/3 sweet onion, diced
- 1/3 C capers, well-rinsed
- a few sprigs of freh thyme
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 C grated hard cheese (Parmigiano, Asiago, Grana Padano or your favorite) + a few grates as a garnish
- 1/3 C good olive oil
- sea salt & fresh ground black pepper
- Basil, chopped, or a sprig of fresh thyme, for garnish
scroll for more
Superfast Summer Sauce for ?
Time: 5 minutes prep, 7 minutes cook
Servings: 4
Directions
- Assemble all your prepared ingredients (including the salt and pepper), except the oil and cheese, in a bowl, keeping the cheese separate
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan to shimmering, but not smoking
- Slide the ingredients into the hot oil and combine well
- Stir the sauce around to coat the ingredients and keep an eye on the onions
- When the onions have sweated to translucent, sprinkle the 1/2 C of grated cheese over the sauce and stir in for one more minute. Taste and adjust for seasoning Done!
- If a pasta (in the photo, it is a cappellini) is used, drain the pasta and add it into the pan and combine the sauce and pasta well before plating. Remove any thyme branches before serving.
- If you are using this recipe as a sauce for grilled vegetables, meat or seafood, plate your entree, then spoon the sauce on and around the dish.
- Garnish with chopped fresh basil, or a sprig of fresh thyme
scroll for more
Summary
It's hot, you're hungry, you don't want to spend more than a few minutes at the stove. You have a main dish in mind. Try this.
I use this quick sauce on a pasta, on grilled veggies, on a seared or grilled thin cut of meat - even on shrimp. Use your imagination!
The key is that ALL ingredients hit the hot oil at the same time. The sauce is ready as soon as the onions are transluscent. Build the recipe proportionately to meet the number of guests.
This is another Mediterranean-influenced idea - I don't pass it off as 'Italian'. I do present it as simple, fast and delicious!
Reviews
August 5, 2011
Love the combination of the herbs...I've cooked/tasted this recipe!
Comments
August 5, 2011Thank you, CL - that is a gracious and welcomed comment from a kitchen goddess I admire!
