Didja notice I skipped a week of Vegetarian Dinners That Don’t Suck? Forgive me. It’s summer, and we wrapped up the school year with a two-night camping trip in the Sierra foothills, came home for two nights and went camping again. So last week was a wash. Camping with two small kids is no small feat, it turns out, and the first trip was sort of medium successful. S. loved the tent, but also decided to wake up at two a.m. and harass me and his brother for three hours the first night. We managed to pick the noisiest campsite on the entire gorgeous lake. The people next door were jerks. Etcetera. But it was still lovely to swim, and the days were hot and dry and spectacular.

Funny story: we rented a Jetta to get up there, since our car is on the fritz, and we had so much stuff that the kids could barely see out the front. There were duffels and coolers and sleeping bags at their feet and between them and everywhere. So when we arrived and B was hauling things out of the car, he asked, “what’s in this giant bag?”

At which point I had to reveal that it was full of pillows and stuffed animals. [Embarrassed tittering] Click To Tweet

By the second trip, we had our systems down (Read: brought fewer stuffies) and it helped that camping up in fancy Healdsburg on a friend’s parents’ property was more like glamping. A pool, a lot of floatation devices, some imbibing, kids running wild?it all made for better sleep, easier days, and more fun. And we had really delicious, easy food both nights, big old communal dinners that are just what summer is all about.

Herewith, my last vegetarian dinner that doesn’t suck, a delightful and easy summer meal that’s always a crowd pleaser.

Summer Pasta

This recipe is a combo of something I?ve been making for years and an amazing uncooked sauce my sister-in-law J?yep! The one with the chickens and the Gado Gado?made for me once.

3 very large ripe tomatoes (heirloom or beefsteak), or the equivalent (several different colors looks nice)

1 cup or so beautiful sweet yellow or orange cherry tomatoes

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

2 T. capers

1-2 cloves of garlic

1 container little fresh mozzarella balls or equivalent amount of another melty cheese you like: ricotta salata, brie, etc.

A fragrant peppery green extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Maple syrup, agave, honey, or sugar (optional; see Note)

Grated lemon rind (optional; see Note)

1 pound of pasta, gluten-free or regular (fresh pasta would also be divine)

Chop heirlooms into various sizes and shapes (all within the realm of bite-sized) and place in a bowl. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them, too. Squeeze through a press (or mash with the side of a knife) the garlic and add that, along with the chopped basil, the capers, salt and pepper to taste, and a generous glug of olive oil. Toss gently, let sit for 15 to 20 minutes, then taste again. You want a nice mix of garlicky, salty, tangy, and sweet. If the tomatoes are too tangy, you?ll need to soften the flavor with a little bit of sweetener. If they?re very sweet and you want more tang, go ahead and grate in some lemon rind.

Add your mozzarella or cheese of choice, sliced in half, and let marinate for another 15 minutes or while you?re cooking your pasta.

Cook pasta until al dente in salted water. Toss with a bit of olive oil and your sauce. Correct seasoning and serve. 

Serves 4.

Note: You can actually marinate the tomato mixture for hours on end and leave in on the counter with a cloth over the bowl. I would still add the cheese towards the end, but do give the cheese a little time to absorb delicious flavors. This can, of course, also be made without the cheese for a vegan dinner.

A word on gluten-free pastas, for they are not created alike! Hands down, the best one is Jovial brand. That is all.

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You might also like:

Vegetarian Dinners That Don’t Suck

Vegetarian Dinners That Don’t Suck Part Two: Indian Feast

Vegetarian Dinners That Don’t Suck Part Three: Tofu Two Ways