Fresh Tomatoes, Food Aversions, and Pasta. Oh My!

We continually sign up for our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share each season that it is available. This season has proved to be interesting for us now that I'm pregnant. Instead of the cravings you commonly associate with pregnancy, I have had more aversions. Onions have been one of the largest culprits so far. And what do you think we have gotten pounds and pounds of each week? Yep, you guessed it! We have given them away to friends and hidden them in our vegetable crisper, hoping that they'd disappear. 

I always thought that pregnancy was filled with late night cravings for things like pickles, potato chips and chocolate ice cream. I expected to ask John to run out to the store several times a week to meet one of my cravings. That vision couldn't have been further from reality. While I have craved several things now and then (like a specific candy, potato chip, and pickles), it hasn't been constant cravings. What has been constant is my aversions to food. Each day has been different which what turns my stomach. It has taken John some time to understand that if I say I don't want something, I mean it. We have learned the hard way that forcing me to eat something could send me running to the bathroom.  

One of the things I have loved getting and eating consistently is tomatoes. I have quite enjoyed tomatoes. We have made fresh sauce, slow simmered sauce, pasta ponza, added them to vegan GF bagels, had tempeh/tomato/lettuce sammies, and so much more. One of my favorites is a vegan an gluten free version of Giada DeLaurentiis's Pasta Ponza. This dish is still delicious with store bought tomatoes, but I'm not going to lie- garden fresh, organic, farmers market, and CSA tomatoes are the best. 

Pasta Ponza 

• Olive oil for the bottom of the pan
• 4 cups (24 ounces) red/yellow cherry, grape, peach or small tomatoes, halved (larger tomatoes should be quartered)
• 1/4 cup capers, drained 
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning 
• 1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs, seasoned with about a teaspoon of dried basil and oregano 
• 1 pound gluten free ziti 
• 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray or rub the olive oil an 8 by 8-inch baking dish.

Place the tomatoes, capers, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in the prepared baking dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the tomato mixture. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, following the package directions. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Add the nutritional yeast and toss well. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and basil. S
erve immediately.