(Not-Fried) Green Tomatoes Pasta Sauce

Total Time: 30-45 mins

There are many recipe for using green tomatoes. Pickled, fried, jammed and juiced, but this unripe, green tomato pasta sauce is another to add to your list of what to do with those we-are-never-turning-red green tomatoes.

A few green tomatoes chopped and sautéed, a quick multi-herb pesto, lots of parmigiana-reggiano…everything mixed and quickly cooked together. Served over a sturdy noodle such as Bucatini with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt…in a half hour you’ll have a pasta dish to celebrate green tomatoes, not fried.

This is a great spring recipe for supporting the Liver.

In TCM we recommend eating foods that are vibrant in color, especially foods that are green in the springtime. Bright and dark greens are naturally cleansing for the liver. It’s preferable that your greens are slightly cooked. This helps your body digest the vegetables more easily and avoids overtaxing the digestive system (this uses up vital energy that we should be preserving.)

Sour is the taste associated with the liver. Delicious ways to add this flavor into your diet include lemons, vinegar and fermented foods. Sour fruits that are good to add to your spring diet include granny smith apples, lemons, limes, grapefruits, pomegranates, plums and tomatoes.

This recipe has many elements to support your liver and will help you keep feeling well this season!

---

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup each fresh basil leaves, parsley, arugula and mint

• 2 garlic cloves

• juice of half a lemon

• a drizzle of olive oil for pesto and to sauté tomatoes

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, split in two even portions

• 6 medium to large green tomatoes, cored and chopped

• 1 cup vegetable broth

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 lb Bucatini

• extra grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for topping servings

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.

2. While waiting for the water to boil… in a food processor pulse together the basil leaves, parsley, arugula, mint and garlic cloves, and lemon juice, leaving chunky. Drizzle in some olive oil to taste and pulse. Add in salt, pepper to taste and 1/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano and pulse a few more times to blend. Scrape pesto out into a bowl and set aside.

3. In a large saute pan set over medium high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and the chopped green tomatoes. Toss to coat the tomatoes and saute, stirring, for 8 minutes. Pour in the broth. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a low boil, turn heat to simmer, stirring often until liquid is reduced by half. When tomatoes begin to soften, sprinkle in the rest of the Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 cup) and toss to coat well. Add the pesto to the hot sauce, stirring until well mixed. Cover and keep sauce warm until pasta is cooked.

4. When water comes to a boil, add in the Bucatini and cook just until al dente. Drain well.

5. Serve pasta in bowls topped with the sauce and more grated cheese.

   photo and recipe credits to Food on Fifth