Chilled Pasta with Cherry Tomato and Mint Sauce

La storia di questo piatto

This dish is a love letter written in the dialect of the Mediterranean sun — born where volcanic soil meets salt wind, where Sicilian grandmothers and Neapolitan summers share the same breathless heat. It carries the memory of coastal markets at dawn, of cherry tomatoes still warm from the vine, of mint growing wild between ancient stones.

Ingredienti

• 100 g Pasta (spaghetti or penne)
• 10 pieces Cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium (80g) Carrot
• 0.25 medium (20g) Onion
• 15 g Parmigiano Reggiano
• 7 leaves Fresh peppermint leaves
• 10 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 g Salt

Preparazione

1. Take 5 cherry tomatoes, cut each one in half, and use the tip of a teaspoon to scoop out the water and seeds inside: this way the sauce won't turn out too watery. Leave the other 5 whole, with all their succulent flesh intact, because they will give body and sweetness to the cream.
2. Into the blender pitcher put the cleaned carrot cut into small chunks, the onion, the Parmesan broken into pieces by hand, a few leaves of fresh mint, all 10 cherry tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of good quality oil. Have everything prepared right next to the blender so you don't waste time and the flavors stay fresh.
3. Turn on the blender and work the ingredients for one minute: you don't need to reduce everything to a puree, the cream is better when it keeps some small traces of the vegetables, which you can feel under your teeth. Stop, taste it with a teaspoon, and adjust the salt: this is the moment when the sauce truly develops its character.
4. Put a large pot of water on the heat, salt it well once it's boiling vigorously — the water should taste like the sea — and plunge the pasta into it. Cook it according to the time indicated on the package, usually 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick together.
5. Drain the pasta and immediately rinse it under a stream of cold water, moving it with your hands or a spoon to separate each piece completely. Keep going until it feels cool to the touch, with no more heat remaining: this is essential, because if it stays warm the raw sauce will heat up and lose its fresh quality.
6. Pour the now-cooled pasta into a large bowl and cover it with the tomato and vegetable sauce, mixing carefully so every piece gets dressed well with the dressing. Let it rest for a few minutes before bringing it to the table: in this brief resting time the flavors get to know each other and embrace, and the dish arrives at the table more harmonious.