Browned Butter and Garlic Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

Who really feels like making lunch on Saturday? Half the time I don't even want lunch because I slept in late and am just getting to breakfast around lunchtime, or else I woke up early and ran too far and am too hot faced and sweaty to eat for a few hours.
But my family doesn't share my meal missing ways. They believe in three square meals, snacks, and dessert, made almost exclusively by me. Even if we had a big brunchy mid-morning feast, they'll still make hungry eyes at me in a few hours. Hungry, desperate, pleading eyes-especially if I'm on the phone. They always make hungry, desperate, pleading eyes when I'm on the phone-even if they're actually eating when I'm on the phone. (That's another question for another post:why do children hate it when their mother is on the phone? Why? What's to be done?)
Last Saturday I whipped up this 15 minute fast lunch with those gorgeous red tomatoes from Gentleman Cowboy. If you love tomato and basil pasta, you're going to adore this new-fashioned, one-pot dish. The twist is that the pasta is coated with browned butter and mellowed garlic, making it nutty and sweet with little pockets of melted Parmesan. So happy weekend lunching. And call me later.
Browned Butter and Garlic Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil
Estimated Cost: $4.00
Notes: If you're lucky enough to have any leftovers, it's actually a little better the next day. Chop a fresh tomato for the top.
1/2 lb. angel hair or cappelini pasta
4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 fat red tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 ounces finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. While pasta cooks chop garlic, tomatoes and basil and grate Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta and place some pot back on stove over medium heat. Add butter and cook until browned but not scorched. Watch closely and as soon as you smell a nutty aroma, you know you're all set. Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add pasta, half of basil, Parmesan, and salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Divide between four plates and top with fresh tomatoes and more basil.
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