Perhaps it was kismet that the day after I read a New York Times recipe for Grated Tomato Pasta, friends dropped by with a box load of farm-stand tomatoes. The ripe and juicy beefsteaks were just what the recipe required. Having its few other ingredients on hand, spaghetti, olive oil, garlic, Parmigiano, and basil, also triggered me to prepare the dish the same day.

What appealed to me most about the dish was its focus on the fresh flavor of the tomatoes, which are cooked for just several minutes with minimal seasoning. Their key role, however, requires that they be perfectly ripe and flavorful. If they lack these qualities, the sauce will be totally lackluster. So before making this dish, taste your tomatoes and let your palate, rather than your eyes, be the judge.

As I was cooking for two, I halved the amounts listed in the original recipe. And since I like my prep work far along as possible before cooking, I also chose to trim and grate the tomatoes before putting up the pasta.

The dish met our expectations; the tomato flavor took center stage and were perfectly complemented by the lightly sautéed garlic and fresh basil. The two sequential vigorous stirrings of the pasta and tomatoes, the first with only half of the cheese, the second with the remainder of it and the basil, help coat the pasta with the relatively light sauce.

I’ll definitely make this dish again as tomato season winds down, but will probably add just a pinch of pepperoncino to satisfy our yen for spice.

Pasta with Grated Tomato (adapted from a recipe by Ham El-Waylly on The New York Times “Cooking” website)

Ingredients:

Kosher Salt
6 ounces spaghetti
2 large ripe beefsteak tomatoes, bottoms trimmed and cored
2 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for sprinkling
¼ basil leaves, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1. Using the large holes on the box grater, grate the trimmed side of the tomato into a large bowl until nothing but skins remain. Discard skins.

2. Over high heat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta to the water and boil 1 minute less than package instructions for al dente.

3. Transfer the pasta to a colander to drain, then return the empty pot to the stove. Add the olive oil and garlic and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add the grated tomatoes and season with a large pinch of salt. As soon as the mixture comes up to a simmer (about 3 minutes), turn off the heat and add the spaghetti and half the Parmigiano. Stir vigorously until the spaghetti is coated in sauce and the cheese has melted.

5. Add the remaining Parmigiano and the basil leaves and stir vigorously until the rest of the cheese has melted. Taste the sauce and adjust with more salt as needed.

6. Divide among two heated bowls, spooning over any tomato liquid left in the pot. Top with more cheese and basil and serve immediately.

Wine Pairing: Chianti