A Simple Summer Dinner
My mother has developed such intuition over her many years spent in the kitchen that even when Covid left her without taste and smell (still), she can confidently season and create to perfection. The kind recipients of her dishes are grateful that the skill seems to be ingrained in her hands.
In my own way, I’ve followed in her footsteps. Over my own years in the kitchen, my hands have been trained to the work, knowing with earned intuition when to flip, stir, taste, and wait.
When I write recipes for my Cooking Community, I’m sometimes tempted to write measurements based on the weight of salt in my fingertips or the cooking time based on color, not time. This is perhaps the most difficult piece of cooking to translate to others, but also the most exciting for someone like me who takes such pleasure in flaky crusts, fresh minced herbs, and truffle honey.
It’s intuition. No recipes involved.
It means I get it wrong sometimes (like the time I thought I could blend meat into a roasted beet and vegetable soup… the texture was vile), but it also means that putting together a meal for me doesn’t always need to involve thorough planning or detailed recipes.
This is ideal for days when cooking is just a bit beyond me—be it the heat, or the errands, or just plain old life. When I want to eat, and a scrambled egg sandwich isn’t going to cut it, I turn to hunger and intuition as my guides.
In this video, I invite you to join me for a simple supper, cooked entirely on intuition.
In the video, I make a very simple pasta: just my favorite heirloom grain noodles, sun-dried tomatoes + their oil, freshly minced basil, and, because I was feeling luxurious in the moment, some toasted pine nuts.
Each year, when the garden is giving, I make some sun-dried tomatoes from our extras… but there are wonderful store-bought ones available. The point is to keep it simple and enjoy.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Note: The amount of tomatoes you put onto the tray will affect the drying time, as more moisture is released from more tomatoes. Keep an eye on the tomatoes and pull one out every hour to assess the drying process. When in doubt, err on the side of slightly over-drying the tomatoes versus under-drying them.
Ingredients:
5-8 pounds tomatoes (sauce tomatoes work well here)
1 tablespoon seasoning of choice (I’m using Bona Furtuna’s Cacio e Pepe blend)
Large pinch sea salt
Olive oil, as needed
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Cut the tomatoes in half. Use your thumb to press out the seeds into a bowl.
Place the tomato halves on the baking trays in a single layer. Sprinkle the seasoning over top of the tomatoes, along with sea salt to taste.
Dry the tomatoes in the oven for 3.5-5 hours, or until pliable and slightly leathery. Rotate partway through the drying process if needed.
Now Booking: A restful retreat in the Italian countryside.
Che vita! What a life!
You’re invited to join us for our Che Vita Getaway featuring long, delicious days of refreshment and delight at a hilltop villa in Umbria, Italy.
Together, we’ll eat incredible food, see pieces of rural Italy, taste local goods of all kinds, rest, and enjoy being away from the hustle. You can learn more about our exclusive, intimate getaways right here.
I hope wherever this letter finds you, you can find some beauty to enjoy and good food to eat!
