I’m a total homebody when it comes to date-night. I love pulling out the Playstation to play a little 1990’s Mortal Combat, find a couple of old horror movies and putting together complex fruit and cheese boards with a little charcuterie thrown in, simple yet powerful sipping-soups and something light and romantic for the main course. Being that sweet basil is said to be an amazing aphrodisiac used by the Romans, this dish is a simple throw-together to get that romance flowing.
½ lb linguine
Water for boiling
½ tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 ½ c cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
Kosher salt
Extra virgin olive oil
⅓ c Fresh sweet basil leaves
Fresh grated parmesan
Start off by boiling your water in a pasta pot. Fan out the pasta in the water and move it around with a fork so you don’t end up with noodles that are stuck together. Boil to desired donness. I normally like my pastas Al dente. Once pasta is done, drain and set aside.
While the pasta is boiling, heat ½ tbs olive oil over medium high heat in a large nonstick pan. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds. Do not allow it to overcook and turn brown. Quickly add your tomatoes. Season with salt to taste. Sauté until they become a bit wilted and tender. Add your cooked and drained pasta. You can season with a little more salt to taste. Toss a few times. Remove from heat and add the sweet basil leaves. Give the pasta a few more tosses. Plate up and drizzle a little more olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with a little fresh grated parmesan and you’re done.
