Well chilled and spicy hot: Tomato dishes that pair well with rosé

(written for the Los Altos Town Crier)

It’s akin to watching a parade approaching – distant colors growing in vibrancy as anticipated floats arrive. In this case, the waiting is for tomatoes. I keep an eye out each evening as the green mass becomes ever brighter in tone. When they do reach the point of glorious, bursting ripeness and brilliant color, it is seemingly overnight and all at once.  

The expectation has been worth it. The jewels of our garden bed seem a celebration of summer itself. Tangy and sweet, tart and juicy, September tomatoes are an abundance of pleasure and delight. They do, however, pose a small concern: how to make the best use of the glut we’ve grown.  

Just as my mom would do, I hull and par boil, then peel and freeze many for use in the winter. I’ll share our abundance with neighbors and family. Mostly, we will devour them now. We’ll enjoy our tomatoes in sandwiches and salads, as snacks and the star of the show around the dinner table.   

In our house, we are unanimous fans of the sweetly-tart berries. Which means a dinner where tomatoes appear on repeat is welcome. I am convinced even lesser fans of the fruit would lap up the meal, because I play with temperature and technique to make each dish stand on its own.  

Enjoying tomatoes with a well-chilled glass of rosé is about as perfect a pairing I can think of for this time of year. Notice how the sun seems especially warm against our backs? Notice how the evening breeze seems all the more welcome? Notice how the luxury of Sunday is ever more blissful with summer vacations in our rearview mirror? All these late-summer noticings find their answer in a glass of rosé. The wine is fresh, it is floral and it is light and fruity. All perfect attributes to pair with summer’s brightest gems. Rosé holds up beautifully with the acidity in the tomatoes. 

Three rosés worth a pour, and all available at Whole Foods Market in Los Altos, are: 2023 Marco Porello Langhe Rosato ($22); THE GRENACHISTA, Grenache Rosé ($16); 2023 Fresh & Wild Cinsault Rosé ($14). These wines have youth on their side, something important for the style of wine, as outside of some special areas of production, rosé is meant to be enjoyed within a year or a few years of vinification and bottling. They are each beautiful blush pink hues and delicately balanced wines that will be the bee’s knees for your summer sipping with tomatoes.  

Tomato, chive and shallot salad 

While both recipes I’m sharing showcase tomatoes in their simplest form, this salad is especially an homage. I prefer to eat it chilled. As such, I make the salad before the pasta dish and let it rest in the refrigerator until dinner.  

Mix of tomatoes – I used one large and one medium heirloom along with a handful of pear tomatoes 

• 1 shallot 
• Handful of chives 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar 
• Sprinkle of Maldon or other flaky sea salt 

Coarsely dice a shallot, add to a small bowl and pour vinegar over. Set aside while you prepare the rest.  

Clean and slice any tomatoes you have. Place them on a plate or platter. Drizzle olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with finely chopped chives and evenly pour the vinegar, shallot mixture atop the slices. Sprinkle with salt and set in refrigerator. If making more than an hour before eating, hold off on adding the salt until just before service.  

Pappardelle with pear tomatoes, burrata and Calabrian chili oil 

• 12 ounces pappardelle pasta 
• Mini mountain fresh yellow pear tomatoes – 3-4 cups 
• 1 ball burrata cheese 
• 2 tablespoons Calabrian chili oil 
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and minced 
• 2-3 cups fresh basil leaves, washed, torn and divided 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Slice roughly half of pear tomatoes (can substitute with cherry tomatoes or really any variety) and leave the rest whole. To slice easily, in batches, place a few handfuls of tomatoes on cutting board. Place a salad plate atop and press gently into place with hand. Use your other hand to slice run a serrated knife through the tomatoes. 

When tomatoes are ready, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of Calabrian oil and garlic and cook for one minute. Add tomatoes and half of the basil, stir and season well with salt and black pepper. Allow to tomatoes to simmer on low for 20 minutes.  

While the tomatoes burst and simmer away, cook the pappardelle. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pappardelle and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside. 

Add the cooked pappardelle to the skillet with the tomatoes. Toss to coat the pasta in the tomato mixture. 

If needed, add a bit of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta evenly. Top with the remaining basil and transfer to serving bowl. Place burrata atop and drizzle remaining Calabrian chili oil over. Break burrata up and serve immediately. Offer parmesan cheese and more chili oil at the table.