By The first strawberries from the patch are coming in — still small, still early, but real, the flavor that store strawberries aspire to and don't reach. I've been eating them out of hand, standing at the garden, which is the only correct first treatment of the season's first strawberries. Before jam, before shortcake, before anything — first you eat a few just standing there in the afternoon sun.
The garden is looking good. The tomatoes are establishing, the beans are up, the squash is getting larger by the day. The asparagus is mostly done but the peas are coming strong now. Everything in sequence, each thing in its week. I find this calendar of the garden deeply orienting — it tells you exactly where you are in the year with a precision that no calendar quite matches.
Sarah confirmed the July visit. Two full weeks, the whole family, and Carol is going to join for the second weekend. The prospect of a full table in this house — four family members, my sister, food in quantity, the kind of meal that requires the long outdoor table — is something I've been holding in my mind like a fixed point. I find I'm already planning the menus the way I always plan for things that matter: in a notebook, with notes, revised and added to over time.
Teddy and I made homemade pizza this week. He's been wanting to do it for months. The dough, the sauce from last summer's frozen tomatoes, the toppings. His was ambitious in its topping count — six toppings, he could not narrow it down — and came out excellent if somewhat loaded. I told him: next time, three toppings, maximum. He looked skeptical. I said: trust me. He said he would. He's learning to trust the editing.
The pizza night with Teddy — the dough, the sauce from last summer’s frozen tomatoes, the whole project of it — reminded me how much the best summer meals are built around tomatoes done right. With July’s full table already taking shape in my notebook, I’ve been thinking about dishes that carry that same spirit: bread, good tomatoes, something you can make in quantity and set out for people who are genuinely hungry. Panzanella pasta hits every note — it’s the kind of thing that rewards a little patience and tastes unmistakably like the season.
Panzanella Pasta
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
- 4 cups day-old crusty bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped (about 4 large)
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 oz fresh mozzarella, torn, or 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan
Instructions
- Toast the bread. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss bread cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake 10–12 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. Drain and set aside.
- Build the tomato base. While pasta cooks, combine chopped tomatoes, red onion, garlic, red wine vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Stir and let sit at least 10 minutes so the tomatoes release their juices.
- Combine. Add the drained pasta to the tomato mixture and toss well. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen. Let rest 5 minutes so the pasta absorbs the tomato juices.
- Add bread and finish. Fold in the toasted bread cubes and torn basil. Top with fresh mozzarella or shaved Parmesan. Taste and adjust salt and vinegar. Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 14g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 62g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 480mg