Caribbean Tomato Pasta

My sister shared this recipe with me several years ago and it quickly became one of my favorite pasta recipes.   I’ve turned to it time and time again and I never tire of the wonderful fresh tomato taste.  This is the perfect way to use the season’s abundance of fresh tomatoes.  The interesting thing about this recipe is that the sauce is not cooked.  It just sits at room temperature while the pasta cooks so that the flavors blend.  Served over hot cooked pasta, it’s hard to beat.  As a bonus, it’s very quick to prepare, and you can basically have a meal on the table in a little more time than it takes to cook the pasta.

Ingredients:

6-8 medium fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced into small pieces (don’t substitute canned tomatoes, it won’t be nearly as good!)  Store fresh ripe tomatoes at room temperature.  If you refrigerate them, it will change their flavor.

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2-3 Tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped

1 small lemon or lime (or 1/2 large lemon) juiced

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

pasta of your choice

crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

Peel and finely dice the fresh tomatoes.

Drain and rinse the black beans.

Add to tomatoes in the bowl, along with the minced garlic, chopped parsley or cilantro.

Add the fresh lemon or lime juice and the olive oil.

Add salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.  Sit aside (do not refrigerate) to allow the flavors to blend while the pasta cooks.

Serve the sauce over hot cooked pasta, and top with crumbled feta cheese.  Delicious.