If you haven’t discovered the satisfaction of snipping your own fragrant herbs, or plucking a juicy, red tomato from the vine – you’re missing out! Regardless of where you call home, whether it be a space-challenged Brooklyn apartment, or a charming old neighborhood with compact yards, there’s a way. The solution is container gardening (here’s our post from last year)!
Although we love our visits to local the local farmer’s market, Tess and I decided it would be fun to see what we could do on our own. So, last spring and summer, we got our feet wet (check out our Art of Container Gardening post for tips on how to begin). The container we chose for our tiny yard was a perfect fit, and added garden space we didn’t realize we could ever have. Even if you have no yard at all, there are containers that make it easy to have homegrown options at your fingertips – all you need is a windowsill.
Fast-forward to spring 2022, and we’re at it again –yay! After a prolific harvest of our little garden last summer, we were excited to expand our horizons. Not sure how, but we squeezed in another raised container, because when it comes to fresh-from-the-garden produce – more is just better!
The Takeaway.
*Start small (you want this to be fun)
*Plant what you use the most (we loved tomatoes, cubanelle peppers, scallions, and our most reached for herbs)
* If you’re planting tomatoes or peppers choose more established plants (this will exponentially increase your chance of success)
*Use a moisture meter if you’re not sure if your plants are thirsty (it’s easy to both over or under water)
The Payoff.
Hmmm. Once you’ve dug your fingers into the soil, seen the water droplets on the leaves of your fledgling plants, and smelled the green and earth of a freshly picked tomato – you’ll know! Then comes the best part – using your homegrown ingredients to enhance or create something mouth wateringly delicious. We’ve included a summertime favorite – Pasta with Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil & Brie. This recipe is summer comfort food at it’s best. Imagine, creamy brie melted over ripe tomatoes, and topped with peppery and minty basil.
Happy planting! Xo, Kim and Tess
Pasta with Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil & Brie
Ingredients
- 3/4 pounds Brie (triple cream if you can get it)
- 4 medium, ripe-as-can-be tomatoes
- 2 medium, garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, cleaned and dried
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons excellent olive oil
- 1 dash Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 pound curly pasta (cavatappi)
Instructions
- Put the Brie in the freezer for about 20 minutes to firm up a little. This will make it easier to cut when the time comes.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes and put them in a large serving bowl. Finely chop the garlic and add it to the bowl. Chiffonade or roughly chop the basil and add that to the bowl too. Pour in the olive oil and add a generous amount of salt and pepper. Gently stir everything together.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes and put them in a large serving bowl. Finely chop the garlic and add it to the bowl. Chiffonade or roughly chop the basil and add that to the bowl too. Pour in the olive oil and add a generous amount of salt and pepper. Gently stir everything together.
- Once the Brie is firm enough, cut it into 1/2-inch cubes and add these to the bowl. Gently fold to combine the cheese with the rest of the ingredients. Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature for at least 2, and up to 8, hours — the longer the better.
- When you are ready to eat, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just al dente. Strain it and tip it into the bowl with the sauce. Fold everything together until it is well combined, the Brie has begun to melt, and the pasta is slicked with cheese and tomato goodness. Serve immediately with a big green salad.
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