Recipe By Chef Jim Coleman

Don't overlook fresh tomatoes for sauce! They add brightness and flavor.

Serves 4 as a first course

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds of fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cubed
• ½ of a cup of olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• ½ of a pound of dried penne pasta
• 1 cup of fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2/3 of a cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat 1/3 of a cup of the olive oil in a small skillet and sauté the garlic for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Put the cubed tomatoes in a bowl and add the cooled garlic oil along with the rest of the olive oil and let this mixture stand for 1 to 2 hours.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne until just tender. Meanwhile, shred the basil coarsely and add it to the tomatoes along with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Drain the pasta, scoop a few tablespoons of the oil from the tomatoes and toss the pasta with this oil in the warm pasta pot. Divide the pasta among 4 warmed bowls and top each portion with the tomato mixture and Parmesan cheese.