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!
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.
