Everyone has their favorite recipes. Whether they come from dogeared books or handwritten on yellowed paper or even crinkled laser print-outs, these recipes become favorites in the kitchen and almost become a part of us. I have several that I rely on regularly but none as much as this recipe. It’s a key player in my arsenal of recipes that first appeared in the July edition of Gourmet Magazine from 2006. I remember making it three years ago and completely falling in love with it. A simple pasta dish of angel hair and the best, ripest tomatoes you can find (heirlooms work perfectly!) make for a really simple supper because there’s no cooking involved except for boiling the pasta. And in the dead of summer the last thing anyone wants to do is turn on the oven or stand over a stove cooking for an hour. That’s why this is such a perfect recipe that I’ll usually make weekly from now until the end of August. It tastes like summer.
It’s pretty foolproof and it’s all about technique here. Two-thirds of the super-ripe tomatoes get diced while the rest get grated with a box grater using the large holes. Pulp, juice and chop make the sauce here and the addition of lemon juice and salt give it that zing. I’ve made it with and without the sugar, that’s mostly a matter of personal preference. The recipe also says it can be made 2 hours in advance but that’s about it. It’s meant to be enjoyed relatively quickly.
Capellini with Fresh Tomato Sauce Gourmet July 2006
I’ve never met Ian Knauer from Gourmet but if I did I’d want to shake his hand or give him a hug for this recipe. It’s summer in a bowl. I’ve found that this is a great recipe for tomatoes that are a bit too ripe or for tomatoes of irregular size that cannot be sliced well for salads or caprese. And remember, angel hair is a must in this dish as anything thicker becomes too heavy since the sauce is raw.
1 small garlic clove
3 lb tomatoes (ripe, please!)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 lb dried capellini
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
extra virgin olive oil for dressing
Mince the garlic and mash it into a paste using a pinch of salt.
Core and roughly chop two thirds of the tomatoes. Halve the remaining tomatoes crosswise then rub the cut sides of the tomatoes against the large holes of a box grater. Remember to use the largest holes possible. Grate into a large bowl, reserving pulp and discarding the skin. Toss the pulp with the chopped tomatoes, garlic and salt paste, lemon juice, salt, sugar (optional) and black pepper. Let stand until ready to use, at least 10 minutes.
While the tomato sauce is standing, cook your pasta in boiling salted water, uncovered until al dente, 2 minutes or so. Drain in a colander and immediately add to tomato mixture, tossing well to combine, Sprinkle with basil and drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt before serving.
ally been touched by the stylist who works very closely with the food stylists in creating the proper tone and story for the specific project. When budgets allow they are a food photographer’s best friend; when budgets are tight I certainly don’t mind stepping in and doing it myself for my own work. Luckily I’m able to bring many years of art direction and photography experience to the set when I’m propping which is an added bonus. Plus I love tableware and have amassed quite a collection so it was pure pleasure getting this gig with a group of people I absolutely adore. Even Jeff. When he wasn’t yelling at me and calling me his Oaxacan Warrior. Even though I’m not from Oaxaca. But whatever. He had a crush on me, I know it*.
After a few meetings to identify the “story” I went to work. Because we were shooting on location at Mariel’s house it was my duty to safely pack all the plates and dishes I pulled for the job and transport them. We wanted this book to be a personal story about Mariel’s philosophy about food which translated into a warm color palette with eclectic yet unfussy props. All the materials I brought were then supplemented by personal items from Mariel’s home which really makes this a personal endeavor.
Color is usually my starting point when creating a story. After a visit to her home and seeing how it was nestled in the canyons and surrounded by trees I knew I wanted to create a contrast to her surroundings. Immediately any drab greens and browns were crossed off my list and I gravitated towards cheery yellows, lemons, limes and blues. When it came to shapes and styles I went with a healthy mix of Mediterranean, Asian and Modern. Clean lines, simple shapes with a few accented pieces of glassware thrown in for good measure.
So what’s it like spending a week shooting in a celebrity’s house? In Mariel’s case it was pure joy. I was secretly hoping for some diva moments, some fits thrown in here and there, but nope, it was nothing like that. Mariel Hemingway is as real and gracious as they come. She exudes warmth and you kinda wanna give her a hug every twelve minutes. Plus she had the cutest dogs and as a dog person I was seriously distracted. I wanted to play!
Setting up a shot is a group effort. We begin with a list of shots and what chapter they’ll appear in the book. Because Mariel’s Kitchen is broken down into seasons it was very important to know what time of the year we were striving for. I’d have a conversation with the photo team about which location on the property would make the most sense, they’d look at me like I was an idiot, we’d fight about shooting tethered vs. hand-held, I’d storm off like a prima donna and return with the appropriate table setting and we’d proceed. I’ll usually pull multiple props so that the food stylists can create a stand-in with a duplicate plate and the photographer can set up his framing while I work my magic on the set. Once that was done I’d run off to play with the dogs, fight with someone again and then pack up any previously used plates so that we wouldn’t create duplicate settings.
The real magic happened when Mariel suggested we incorporate many of the things in her home into the images. You don’t have to ask me twice to riffle through your china cabinet, I’m down! Mariel was gracious enough to share family stories of Julia Child, her parents, the family heirlooms we were blessed enough to be holding, and a particular set of monogrammed spoons that belonged to her grandfather.
