basil

Grilled Skirt Steak With Garlic and Herbs

basil leaves,

scallions,

lemon thyme

garlic cloves, roughly chopped

peppers

salt

lemon

olive oil

skirt steak

Basic Pesto Sauce

pine nuts,

garlic

Parmesan cheese (3 ounces 85 grams)

salt,

This recipe came to The Times in 2003 from the chef Scott Conant, who was then cooking at his restaurant L'Impero in Manhattan. It is simple, classic Italian fare that makes the most of summer's tomatoes, but you can also make it with hothouse offerings and it will be delicious.

Spaghetti With Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce

plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded and quartered

Salt and pepper

red-pepper flakes

dry spaghetti

butter

basil,

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Blanch the tomatoes and remove the skins. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut the tomatoes crosswise. Set aside in a bowl.

Heat 3 ounces olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until it smokes slightly. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Since the tomatoes will reduce and the salt will be concentrated, it is better to season initially with a lighter hand.

Chop the tomatoes with a potato masher until they are in fine chunks and all their liquid is released. Be sure they are chopped and crushed fine, for a semichunky sauce. Simmer for 25 minutes over medium heat.

While the sauce simmers, heat the water for the pasta. Cook the spaghetti in salted water about half of the way cooked. Drain, reserving some of the water.

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add the pasta to the sauce and cook over medium-high heat until all the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is al dente. If the sauce is over-reduced, use the pasta cooking liquid to adjust it.

At the last moment, remove the pan from the heat; add the extra-virgin olive oil, butter, basil and cheese. Mix thoroughly until the pasta is an orangy color. Taste again and adjust the salt if necessary. Remove to a platter. Serve.

The simple, summery dinner is a reminder that in-season produce and fresh seafood shine brightest with little fussing. Seared scallops are paired with cherry tomatoes that are cooked in white wine and butter until they’re falling apart, and the whole thing is finished with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and lemon zest. Equal parts casual and elegant, this dish is best served straight from the skillet, with a big green salad, a nice loaf of bread and the rest of the wine.

Seared Scallops With Jammy Cherry Tomatoes

unsalted butter

shallots (about 2 shallots)

garlic cloves,

dry white wine,

cherry tomatoes,

Kosher salt and black pepper

sea scallops (about

grapeseed oil, plus more as needed

lemon, halved

Julienned fresh basil and mint,

Coarse sea salt,

Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-low and add the butter to melt. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.

Add the wine and cook until about half the liquid has evaporated.

Add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tomatoes have released their juices and almost completely collapsed. Transfer the tomato mixture to a small dish (use a rubber spatula to get every last bit of the sauce!), then carefully wipe out the pan with a damp paper towel.

Pat the scallops dry. Add the grapeseed oil to the skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When the oil is very hot, add half the scallops, spacing them evenly in the pan, and season with kosher salt. Cook without moving for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook for 1 more minute. Don’t overcook! Transfer the scallops to a plate and repeat with the remaining scallops, adding more oil if necessary.

Drain any remaining oil and take the skillet off the heat. Return the tomatoes and their juices to the skillet and squeeze in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Return the scallops to the skillet, nestling them into the tomatoes. Top with the zest of both lemon halves, julienned basil and mint, and a generous sprinkle of coarse sea salt, and serve immediately.

In this 20-minute vegetarian dinner, vibrant pesto and creamy mascarpone cheese combine to create a silky sauce that clings to the noodles. 

One-Pot Creamy Mushroom Pesto Pasta

cremini mushrooms

water

linguine pasta

basil pesto

mascarpone cheese

black pepper

basil leaves

Slice 10 ounces cremini mushrooms and thinly slice 6 garlic cloves. Place both in a large, straight-sided skillet. Add 4 1/2 cups water, 12 ounces linguine, 1/4 cup pesto, 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. 

Bring to a boil over high heat (this will take about 5 minutes). Boil the mixture, stirring and turning the pasta with tongs to prevent sticking, until the pasta is al dente and almost all the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and top with fresh basil leaves. Taste and season with more salt as needed. 

In a pinch, canned baby clams make a very decent pasta ingredient. There is great variation between different brands of canned clams — some are not salty at all, so bear that in mind when seasoning. The liquid in the cans is not needed here, but you may save it for another purpose if you wish.

Spicy Clam Pasta With Bacon, Peas and Basil

basil leaves, loosely packed,

parsley

garlic cloves, minced

extra-virgin olive oil

bacon,

baby clams, drained

serrano chile

peas,

spaghetti

Lemon wedges

Put basil, parsley and garlic in a mortar or food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste and 1/4 cup oil. Pound or whiz to obtain a bright green purée.

Put a pot of water on to boil and make it very salty. (It will boil faster with the lid on.)

Over medium heat, render bacon in its own fat until browned and crisp but not hard, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off fat but leave a small amount in the pan, just to coat the bottom.

Increase heat to medium-high, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the clams, serrano chile and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring and coating clams well. Add peas and warm through, then turn off heat.

Boil pasta and cook until slightly underdone. Drain pasta and add to pan with clams. Turn heat to medium-high and stir all together. Add a splash of pasta water, if it seems dry. Add basil purée and toss well. Top with bacon and reserved basil leaves. Pass lemon wedges.

Classic, simple basil pesto recipe with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Romano or Parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Fresh Basil Pesto

basil leaves, packed (can sub half the basil leaves with baby spinach)

extra virgin olive oil

pine nuts (can sub chopped walnuts)

garlic cloves, minced (about 3 teaspoons)

salt, more to taste

black pepper, more to taste

"Do u wash basil first? I just made this using English walnuts, delicious!\r\nFrom a North Carolinian"

"Can you use fresh rocket instead of spinach?"

Pulse basil and pine nuts in a food processor: Place the basil leaves and pine nuts into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a several times.

Add the garlic and cheese: Add the garlic and Parmesan or Romano cheese and pulse several times more. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.

Stream in the olive oil: While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Adding the olive oil slowly, while the processor is running, will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor.

Stir in salt and freshly ground black pepper, add more to taste.
Toss with pasta for a quick sauce, dollop over baked potatoes, or spread onto crackers or toasted slices of bread.

"Yes I made it, it’s awesome! I made it with cashews instead of pine nuts because I don’t have pine nuts."

"My daughter and I made it!! \r\nWe grew basil for the first time this summer 2020, and we made homemade pesto sauce and served it with scallops for dinner!! \r\nExcellent!! Thank you!"

"This recipe was a godsend! Other than subbing in pistachios vs. pine nuts, we followed this recipe to a tee and it was a hit! Thank you for sharing."

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/video_src?vid=5797297376001

Save those wider-than-tall, about-to-burst tomatoes for slicing and showering with flaky sea salt. For this recipe, you want smaller, sturdier varieties like kumato, Campari or petite heirlooms. Brushing the uncooked puff pastry with crème fraîche adds a subtle tanginess that you won’t necessarily notice, but the tomatoes will taste better for it. You might be tempted to skip salting your tomatoes, but don’t: It helps prevent a soggy crust while intensifying the flavor of your tomatoes. This tart is best enjoyed straight out of the oven, at its flaky prime, but it’s also great at room temperature, or even cold, devoured directly from the fridge.

Roasted Tomato Tart With Ricotta and Pesto

small, multicolored tomatoes,

sheet packaged puff pastry, thawed (about 7 ounces)

crème fraîche

red onion, very thinly sliced

Aleppo pepper

ricotta

Store-bought pesto,

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. Set the sliced tomatoes on top in a single layer. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Use it to season the tomatoes evenly on both sides, cover with another paper towel and let sit, 15 minutes, allowing the salt to draw moisture out of the tomatoes.

As the tomatoes sit, heat the oven to 400 degrees and set a rack in the middle of the oven. Working on a large sheet of parchment paper, roll out the puff pastry into a 9-by-11-inch rectangle, trimming any uneven edges. Prick the inside with a fork every few inches, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Using a pastry brush, coat the center of the puff pastry with the crème fraîche, leaving the border unbrushed.

Working within the border, layer the tomatoes and red onion on top of the tart, allowing them to overlap slightly. Transfer to a sheet pan and bake, rotating halfway through, until puff pastry is browned and puffed, 30 to 35 minutes.

Sprinkle tomatoes with Aleppo pepper, if using. Dollop with fresh ricotta. Thin pesto with olive oil until it reaches the proper consistency for drizzling; drizzle on top of tart to taste. Top with basil, if using, and serve warm or at room temperature.

For such a short ingredient list, this 20-minute pasta dish is bursting with bold flavors, thanks to fire-roasted tomatoes and smoky andouille sausage. 

One-Pot Spicy Sausage and Tomato Pasta

smoked andouille sausage

fennel bulb

tomatoes

teaspons kosher salt

Cut 12 ounces andouille sausage crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds and thinly slice 1/2 medium fennel bulb. Place both in a large, straight-sided skillet. Add 4 1/2 cups water, 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes and their juices, 12 ounces dried linguine, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. 

Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the mixture, stirring and turning the pasta with tongs to prevent sticking, until the pasta is al dente and almost all the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, tear 1 cup fresh basil leaves in half. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the basil. 

Remove from the heat. Taste and season with more salt as needed. Garnish with more fresh basil. 

Put on your cozy pants and get comfortable with a giant bowl of this cheesy, eggplant-studded pasta. Don’t be shy about adding plenty of reserved pasta cooking water to the sauce; it's the magical ingredient that creates a silky sauce and keeps the pasta moist while baking. A little grated ricotta salata to finish adds a slight tangy bite that rounds everything out — but, truthfully, more Parmesan or any firm, salted cheese will do.

Cheesy Eggplant and Rigatoni Bake

rigatoni

eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds total), cut into 1-inch pieces

yellow onion, thinly sliced

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces)

mozzarella (about 1 pound)

ricotta salata,

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook rigatoni according to package instructions but keep it slightly more al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking water, then drain and rinse pasta under cold water, and transfer to a large bowl while you cook the eggplant.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium. Add half the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until golden brown on all sides, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the rigatoni. Repeat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining eggplant and transfer to the bowl.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over medium. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in red-pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and their juices, crushing the tomatoes with your hands as you add them. Cook until the tomatoes are very soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved pasta cooking water, adding up to 1 1/2 cups as needed to create a silky sauce.

If the skillet is large enough, add the rigatoni and eggplant mixture, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup basil and toss to coat. Otherwise, add the tomato sauce, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella and 1 cup basil to the large bowl with the rigatoni and eggplant, toss to coat and then return to the skillet or transfer to a greased baking dish.

Top with remaining 3 cups mozzarella and bake until the sauce is bubbling on the sides and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes. Top with grated ricotta salata and torn fresh basil to serve.

Trying to slice into this eggplant Parmesan while it's molten hot creates an oozy mess, so let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to firm up before serving.

Best Eggplant Parmesan

cloves

red onion, chopped

anchovy

red pepper flakes

tomato paste

dry white wine

oregano

Kosher salt

eggplants

panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Parmesan, divided

all-purpose flour

eggs,

low-moisture mozzarella, grated (about 1⅓ cups)

mozzarella,

Trying to slice into this eggplant Parmesan while it's molten hot creates an oozy mess, so let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to firm up before serving. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Bon Appétit

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a large heavy ovenproof pot over medium. Cook garlic, stirring often, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add onion, anchovies (if using), and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until slightly darkened, about 2 minutes. Add wine, bring to a boil, and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, breaking up with your hands, and their juices; add basil and oregano and stir to combine. Swirl 1½ cups water into one tomato can, then the other, to rinse, and add to pot; season with salt. Transfer pot to oven; roast sauce, stirring halfway through, until thick and tomatoes are browned on top and around edges of pot, 2–2½ hours.

Let sauce cool slightly. Pass through the large holes of a food mill or process in a food processor until mostly smooth. Taste and season with salt.

Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Lightly season eggplant slices all over with salt; place in a single layer on several layers of paper towels inside a rimmed baking sheet. Top with another layer of paper towels and more slices; repeat as needed. Top with a final layer of paper towels, then another rimmed baking sheet; weigh down with a heavy pot. Let eggplant sit until it has released excess liquid, 45–60 minutes. This step gives the eggplant a creamy texture when baked.

Meanwhile, pulse panko, oregano, pepper, and ¾ cup Parmesan in a food processor until very finely ground. Transfer to a shallow bowl.

Preheat oven to 350°. Place flour in another shallow bowl and eggs in a third shallow bowl. Working one at a time, dredge eggplant slices in flour, then dip in egg, allowing excess to drip off. Coat in breadcrumbs, packing all around, then shaking off excess. Place on wire racks.

Heat ⅔ cup oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook as many eggplant slices as will comfortably fit in pan, turning once, until deep golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and immediately press with more paper towel to absorb oil. Working in batches, repeat with remaining slices, adding remaining ⅔ cup oil and wiping out skillet as needed. Let cool. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Toss chopped herbs, low-moisture mozzarella, and remaining ¾ cup Parmesan in a medium bowl. Spread 1 cup sauce over the bottom of a 13x9" baking pan; top with a layer of eggplant slices (trim as needed). Drizzle 1 cup sauce over and sprinkle with one-third of cheese mixture. Add another layer of eggplant, followed by 1 cup sauce and half of remaining cheese mixture. Repeat layers with remaining slices, sauce, and cheese mixture. Cover with foil and bake on a rimmed baking sheet until eggplant is custardy, 45–60 minutes.

Remove from oven and arrange fresh mozzarella over eggplant. Increase oven temperature to 425° and bake, uncovered, until cheese is bubbling and browned in spots, 15–20 minutes longer. Let rest 30 minutes. Top with basil leaves just before slicing.

Do Ahead: Eggplant Parmesan can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover with foil and chill. Reheat in a 350° oven, uncovering halfway through, until bubbling gently at edges.

Cheesy, saucy baked pasta is even more fun when you can slice it into wedges. Spaghetti, bucatini, rigatoni—if it’s pasta, it works for this recipe.

Baked Pasta alla Norma

globe eggplant, peeled,

cherry tomatoes

garlic cloves, smashed

extra-virgin olive oil,

½ tsp. crushed red pepper

eggs

Tbsp. capers

Cheesy, saucy baked pasta is even more fun when you can slice it into wedges. But for clean slices, let the pie rest before cutting. Spaghetti, bucatini, rigatoni—if it’s pasta, it works for this recipe. Just don’t rinse the noodles; you want that starch. Also, roasting the vegetables first concentrates their flavors and removes excess water.

Preheat oven to 425°. Combine eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, ¼ cup oil, and ½ tsp. red pepper flakes in a large ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron. Season generously with salt and toss to combine. Roast, shaking skillet once or twice, until eggplant is tender and tomatoes burst, 25–35 minutes. Let vegetables cool while you prepare the pasta (watch out for the hot handle when you take the skillet out of the oven). Reduce oven temperature to 400°.

Whisk eggs and tomato paste in a medium bowl until smooth, then whisk in about three-quarters of Parmesan.

Cook spaghetti in a pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Immediately drain pasta in a colander and shake to remove excess water; transfer pasta back to pot.

Add cooled vegetable mixture to pot with pasta. Wipe out skillet and drizzle in a little oil; roll around in skillet to coat. Add egg mixture to pasta and toss vigorously with tongs until pasta is evenly coated. Add capers and ½ cup basil and toss again to combine.

Transfer pasta mixture to skillet and press gently into an even layer. Top with remaining Parmesan, a few whole basil leaves, and an extra sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

Bake pasta until surface is nicely browned, 30–35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting into wedges for serving.

Eggplant is one of the true stars of summer, but it can be tricky to cook. Because it absorbs oil like a sponge during frying, we prefer the oven-roasted method in this recipe, which yields tender, caramelized slices minus all the mess.

Cheesy Zucchini-Eggplant Bake

eggplant

zucchini squash

garlic cloves, unpeeled

olive oil,

ricotta (about 1 cup)

salted low-moisture mozzarella, grated, divided

basil leaves, divided

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 450°. Cut off stem end of 1 globe eggplant, then shave a thin slice off of fattest part of bulbous end. Rest eggplant on newly cut side so it doesn’t roll around your board.

Cut eggplant crosswise into ½"-thick slices.

Repeat same process with 2 zucchini and/or summer squash, trimming stem end, shaving side and resting on flat surface, and slicing crosswise ½" thick.

Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, then fit as many pieces of zucchini as possible on same baking sheet, tucking into spaces around eggplant.

Place remaining zucchini slices on one half of another rimmed baking sheet, arranging as close together as possible and in a single layer.

On empty side of baking sheet, arrange 24 oz. tomatoes and 8 garlic cloves. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. oil over tomatoes and garlic and toss with your hands to coat.

Using your hands, smear 2 Tbsp. oil over exposed sides of eggplant and zucchini slices. Eggplant in particular acts like a sponge and will soak up oil in an instant. Since all you want is a thin, even coating, it’s better to smear them with oil rather than to drizzle.

Still using your hands, turn eggplant and squash slices over and smear other side with 2 Tbsp. oil. Season all vegetables on both baking sheets with a couple of 4-finger pinches of salt.

Place sheet with eggplant on lower rack and sheet with tomatoes on upper rack and roast until eggplant is deeply browned on the underside and tomatoes are lightly blistered, 15–25 minutes.

Remove both baking sheets from oven. You’ll notice that the vegetables will have shrunk quite a bit. On baking sheet with eggplant, slide a flexible metal spatula underneath ALL slices and turn them over. Slide rounds over to one side, then transfer zucchini from sheet with tomatoes onto sheet with eggplant, turning them over in the process. You should end up with tomatoes and garlic on one baking sheet, and eggplant and zucchini on the other.

Let baking sheet with tomatoes cool, but return baking sheet with eggplant and zucchini to lower rack and roast until second side of eggplant is deeply browned, 10–15 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, combine 8 oz. ricotta, ¾ tsp. red pepper flakes, and 6 oz. mozzarella in a medium bowl. Drizzle with oil and mix with a fork to combine; season lightly with salt.
→  Bought too much ricotta? Good! There are plenty of ways to use it.

Using a fork, remove garlic cloves from baking sheet and transfer to a cutting board. Press on skins to force out the soft, caramelized cloves; discard skins. Mash cloves to a paste with fork, then stir into ricotta mixture.

Drizzle some oil into a shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Arrange one-third of zucchini and eggplant slices in a single layer. Scatter one-third of blistered tomatoes over, then dollop half of ricotta mixture over tomatoes. Tear one-third of basil leaves and scatter over ricotta.

Repeat layering process with half of remaining eggplant and zucchini, all of remaining ricotta mixture, and half of remaining tomatoes and basil. Top with remaining eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes.

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