Tomato & Peach Pasta
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Serves: 4
If you've never had peaches in a pasta sauce - do not be alarmed, they are about to change your life. This Tomato & Peach Pasta is a classic burst cherry tomato pasta sauce with the slight sweetness of fresh peaches. Add a bit of Calabrian chili to balance the spice and this is pasta heaven.
Peach season in Texas is typically mid-May through mid-August. The variety type and the quantity of peaches available will vary over the four months of peach season in the Texas Hill Country!
Before you get scared away by the concept of peaches in a pasta sauce, let me just tell you that this Tomato & Peach Pasta is the perfect balance of sweet, acidic, spicy and creamy. It tastes like the beginning of summer in a bowl. It reminds me of early summer sunset gatherings, big dinner parties, fresh-picked peaches and abundant farmer’s markets. This recipe reminds me of everything I love!
This cherry tomato pasta is also so quick to make. It’s one of my go-tos for dinner parties because it’s done in 15 minutes and it’s easy to please a crowd. Plus, it will impress anyone who loves new and innovative food ideas – because peaches in pasta? It’s a concept that might get you hooked.
In Chinese medicine we commonly use peach pit/Tao Ren as an herb in our formulas. The peach flesh, which is used in this recipe, has medicinal benefits as well! Peach flesh/Tao Zi has the properties of Promoting the secretion of Saliva and Moistening the Intestine which benefits constipation and thirst. Peach is also known for Moving Blood and Removing Food Stagnation which benefits amenorrhea and indigestion.
INGREDIENTS
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 medium peach
2-3 large garlic cloves
2 sprigs of fresh basil
1.5 tablespoons calabrian chili paste(Trader Joe’s has a delicious one!) or 1 teaspoon of red chili flakes
1/3 cup olive oil
16 ounces dried rigatoni or your pasta of choice
1-2 tablespoons butter
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
fresh parmesan for topping
INSTRUCTIONS
Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Cube the peaches, making them about 1 square centimeter in size. Slice or mince the garlic, and chiffonade cut the basil.
In a medium-sized dutch oven, add in the olive oil and bring it to medium heat. When the oil is warm, add in the garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes, or until it is very slightly golden on the edges, but not crisp.
Add in the cherry tomatoes and peaches. Use a wooden spoon to mix them in with the garlic and make sure they are fully coated in the oil. Season with a generous pinch of salt and let this simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the tomatoes have burst and start to melt into the oil.
Use the back of your spoon to smash the tomatoes and peaches during this process. It doesn't have to be perfect since we'll be blending the sauce later, but it helps let the flavors combine as they cook.
Add in the basil and the Calabrian chili paste and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer and cook another 3-4 minutes. You'll start to see the tomatoes and peaches slowly break down and combine into a beautiful color and sauce.
On another section of the stove, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season it liberally with salt and cook your pasta to al dente according to package instructions. When the pasta is done cooking, drain it, but reserve a cup of pasta water.
Take the heat off of the dutch oven holding the sauce. Add in about 1/2 cup of pasta water and use an immersion blender to blend the sauce into a smooth and creamy texture. Taste and season with salt as needed.
Pour this sauce over the drained pasta. Add a splash of pasta water if needed, this helps the sauce cling to the pasta. Add a knob of butter and stir until the pasta is sauced and glossy.
Portion out onto four plates. Serve with a fresh grating of parmesan and a few cracks of black pepper. Enjoy!
photo and recipe credits to Justine Snacks
