Our basil got a late start but is now happily bursting out of the raised beds, requiring daily snipping. Those two—tomatoes and basil—such perfect partners in the garden, and on the plate. Here’s a quick and easy, kid-pleasing angel hair pasta dish we made recently with chopped canned clams and cherry tomatoes and basil from the garden. I say “kid pleasing” because my 16-year old nephew gobbled it up and came back for more. He’s sort of a big kid now, but I think that younger ones would like this too. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chopped clams with their juices. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer at a low temperature while the pasta is cooking in the next step. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Add the 1/4 cup of pasta water to the sauce in the sauté pan. Serve immediately.
