{Recipe} Grilled Tomato Linguine

Tomatino Festival: World's largest food fight

I'm crazy for tomatoes. Especially in the height of the summer when they are at their best. I really love them. Roasted, broiled, sun-dried, stewed, diced, crushed, whole, you name it. I don't think I would like Tomatino however. Held on the last Wednesday in August in Bunol Spain, Tomatino Festival is the largest tomato fight in the world. But I think I would thoroughly enjoy the paella eating contest beforehand!

Back to edible tomatoes. I hadn't tried grilled tomatoes so was eager to try the Grilled Tomato Linguine recipe from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living. I've made Todd English's Roasted Tomato Sauce from The Figs Table cookbook in the past and loved it. So I'm thinking this was going to be a winner. It looked simple and since it was a hot day, was looking forward to cooking outdoors.

Grilled Tomato Linguine
Adapted from Everyday Food

INGREDIENTS:
3 lbs plum tomatoes, cored and halved lengthwise
5 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme or 1 Tsp dried
2 Tbs chopped fresh basil (optional)
1 head of garlic, halved
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
1 lb linguine
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese


DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat grill to high. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with 3 Tbs of olive oil and thyme; season generously with salt and pepper.

2. Starting with cut sides down, grill the tomatoes and garlic until soft and charred, 8-12 minutes per side.

3. Return tomatoes to the bowl. Once cooled, remove 3-4 garlic cloves and add to tomatoes. Cut tomatoes and garlic into coarse pieces with kitchen shears.

4. Meanwhile, cook the linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain; return to pot.

5. Add the remaining 2 Tbs olive oil, the Parmesan, basil and grilled tomatoes. Divide among bowls and serve immediately with more grated cheese.

The Good: Super easy and good summer pasta dish alternative. The kids cleaned their plates.

The Bad: The boys were not fans of the char, or "dust" as my son calls it, in their pasta. Even with the roasted garlic, it was lacking some flavor.

Grade: C. It lacked the richness of oven-roasted tomatoes. Could be due to mediocre tomatoes. Might try again with native, vine-ripened tomatoes.