capturing the best of summer - peaches, nectarines, tomatoes, garlic, basil - with some soba noodles

During the summer months, the farmer's markets are filled with stands offering tasty, sweet samples of stone fruit.  I can't resist!  I come home from the market, delicately cradling my peaches, nectarines, pluots, apriums, plucots, and other unique stone fruit varieties. Of course they all tend to ripen at the same time, so my diet from mid week til the weekend, tends to be "fruit heavy".

The most memorable dish I have had featuring stone fruit, was actually at Basta Pasta, a Japanese/Italian restaurant in New York City.  It was Christmas Eve, I was having a bittersweet goodbye dinner with my boyfriend at our favorite restaurant.  He was leaving the next day to move back to Japan, and I was staying in New York to start grad school.  We were sharing dishes from the special Christmas Eve menu, seated at a table next to Wesley Snipes and his two (inappropriately -dressed) female companions.  

One of the appetizer options was a peach pasta - white Japanese peaches, basil tossed with angel hair pasta.  The flavors were so unique!  It might have been because I was feeling sad and emotional, or because my senses were heightened from all of the crying - but at that particular moment, that peach pasta dish was the most the most delicious thing I had ever tasted in my life!

Over the years, I have tried to replicate this, but have never been successful.  I don't think the restaurant ever had it on the menu again.  (sad, sad face!)

Recently, coming home  from the farmer's market with my stone fruit bounty, I was inspired to search for peach pasta recipes.  I found one on Better Homes and Gardens.

The following is my own riff on this recipe using Japanese soba noodles instead of pasta.   I prefer the flavor of soba noodles, and the texture of the soba holds up better in this dish than wheat pasta.  It is best to use ripe, sweet peaches or nectarines in season.

Summer Soba

• 1 pkg of Japanese Soba Noodles (8-15 oz)
• 6 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 Tbs Olive oil
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 2 lbs (approx 6) ripe  sweet yellow or white, peaches or nectarines (I used a mixture of all 4), pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped basil leaves + more for garnish
• 1/2 tsp crushed chili pepper flakes
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Prepare soba according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Drain soba and return to pot; keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet cook garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes til heated through. Add peaches/nectarines and chili flakes. Cook 4 to 5 minutes more or until peaches are just soft, stirring occasionally. 

Add cooked soba noodles and basil and toss well.  Add reserved soba cooking liquid as needed.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with fresh basil on top.

 

It is getting closer, but it is still not the pasta I remember from that night......

Enjoy!