Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce with Pasta

Because it has been so much cooler on the coast this summer; the Thai basil has grown heartier than the everyday sweet basil. So together with the fresh tomatoes from the farmer's market and a recipe from a few months  back from the Oregon Register-Guard from what can be remembered, this is what I concocted.

Ingredients:
2 pounds tomatoes roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon salt
1 dash red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Mix and let sit at room temperature 1 to 2 hours

Ingredients for cheese mixture:
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
1/2 cup mozzarella (shredded)
pepper to taste

Mix together and let sit while pasta cooks

Cook 1 pound of pasta, drain, add cheese and tomato mixture add 1 to 2 ladles of pasta water.  Enjoy!

This combination of fresh ingredients in this dish are just made for each other, great way to wind down the end of summer! The smells and flavor of this dish are vibrant and incredible. After sitting a bit decided to make a cup of hot tea keeping the same theme of fresh ingredients using mint from the garden. Used about a handful of mint leaves. Boiled about 1 and 1/2 cups water, added mint, voila! 4 to 6 minutes later a great cup of tea.

The flavor was smooth, fresh and really soothing, if soothing was really a flavor. Anyway if you like it sweeter, I bet honey would be perfect.