It was a bit cooler last week, I felt fall is coming near, but hot and dry heat is coming back again in SF Bay Area. The summer is not quite over yet. It means still abundant colorful summer fruits and vegetables are heavenly, lusciously displayed in the farmers market.
I always enjoy all kinds of noodles; rice noodles or wheat (which made with egg or without), Asian style preparation or Italian. Where I was growing up summer was very hot and terribly humid. So eating cold noodles are very common and it is soothing to summer heat particularly for lunch. My favorite one was always buckwheat noodles (soba), but we often made very thin noodles (angel hair) served in a large bowl of ice water…and then scoop small amount of noodles with slotted spoon or chopsticks at a time, dipped into a cup of specially made cold sauce to enjoy in sweating hot days.
Nowadays, whenever we have hot days, I often make this dish and enjoy noodles and summer vegetables together on one plate at my California table. It’s like Caprese salad on the noodles. Ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella cheese, olive oil and a bit wine vinegar. I often add olives, capers or some anchovy filets, depending on my mood and what I have in my pantry. What I like about Angel Hair pasta is I can cook very quickly (takes only a few minutes) for preparing simple yet delicious meal.
I also enjoy different recipe variation for angel hair pasta with pan-fried sliced or diced eggplant with garlic, or lightly poached or sautéed shrimp, tomato, garlic and chopped parsley for mood of having seafood.
When I find Angel Hair Nests, I sometime pan-fried whole pasta instead of boil to cook. And place them on Marinara sauce with lightly cooked shrimp, calamari, octopus, or clams. So I can feel like I am in southern Italy on vacation. Don’t forget about “child dry Italian white wine” to enjoy with it. It’s really good in hot summer.
- ½ pound (250g) Capellini/ Angels’ hair pasta
- 1 small basket (300g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 ounces (18og) Ciliegine - small ball of fresh Mozzarella
- ¼ cup Fresh basil leaves, finely sliced
- ¼ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Juice of a half lemon (optional)
- Sea salt and freshly milled black or white pepper
- Cook and drain the pasta and immediately place into a serving bowl or individual plates. Place the tomatoes, mozzarella, drizzle the oil and vinegar and then seasoned with the salt and pepper. Place the basil and olives on top.
