heirloom tomatoes........hummmm!

When I was little, my friends would watch me in horror as I ate a tomato like an apple! I am not sure to this day why they found this so revolting, I thought everyone loves tomatoes. I would just pick them out of the garden (we never used pesticides) wipe them once or twice on my shirt & savor every juicy bite. I also love fresh raw peas out of the garden, but that is another story.
I really do not feel that this was the best year for tomatoes......yet, whenever I was able to get some great ones from the Farmer's Market, I made one of my favorite summertime dishes. Now, just to clarify, I have to say that my very favorite way to eat tomatoes is thickly sliced on toast (oatmeal bread) with mayonnaise (no fat Hellman's) & sprinkled with sea salt!!! I honestly eat this almost everyday for lunch (usually open faced) that I can!
I would have to say that my second favorite way to eat tomatoes would be cut up with pasta & fresh mozzarella!!! YUM!!!

I have been making a variation of this recipe for years & found this one by Allysa Torey from her "at home with Magnolia cookbook" which I really like....here it is.

Bucatini with heirloom tomatoes & fresh mozzarella
{printable recipe}

1 cup good olive oil
about 1/2 stick butter
1 Vidalia onion chopped fine
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 pound of your favorite pasta (I love bucatini)
5 cups chopped tomatoes (in 1 inch chunks with the seeds removed)
2/3 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch cubes & tossed with coarse salt
3/4 cup freshly grated Locatelli Romano cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Put a large pot of water over high heat to boil. Heat the oil & butter in a shallow Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions & garlic, reducing the heat to medium-low & cook while stirring constantly until the onion is very tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile add the pasta to the boiling water & cook until al dente.

While the onions cook, thoroughly seed & remove any excess liquid from the tomatoes if you do not do this, it will dilute the olive oil & change the consistency & taste of the sauce. Add the tomatoes to the Dutch oven & raise the heat to medium-high & cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the pasta & add it to the Dutch oven, tossing gently to evenly coat with the tomatoes.Remove from the heat & stir in the mozzarella & 1/4 cup of the Romano cheese. Transfer to a large serving platter & garnish with the basil & remaining Romano cheese. Serve immediately with a crisp green salad & crusty bread.