Cold Tomato Pasta - A Bitar Family Favorite

    When the tomatoes in our garden ripen, our favorite dish using them is cold tomato pasta.  We did not originate the recipe; we saw it in the original  Food & Wine magazine and then adapted to our own taste.
    It is really easy to make.

Ingredients for sauce:
4-6 medium size tomatoes, finely diced
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
one (or more to taste) garlic clove(s), minced
1/2 cup of fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground
pinch of cayenne pepper

    Make the sauce by mixing all the ingredients together and let it stand at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or longer if in the refrigerator.

Ingredients for pasta:
1 pound of spaghetti or penne
8 oz. mozzarella or jack cheese, diced

    About 10 minutes before meal time, cook the pasta until tender but firm to the bite (7 or 8 minutes), drain the pasta, return to the warm pan, add the cheese, and toss to melt the cheese into the pasta.
    Put a portion of pasta on each plate, top with the sauce and sprinkle with grated parmesan.  4 servings.