Great Spaghetti Sauce Cookoff: Summer Spaghetti with Gazpacho Sauce

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We couldn’t imagine anything prettier than this on a summer evening.

• 1 pound thin spaghetti
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled and seeded (divided)
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
• 1 tablespoon nasturtium blossoms, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 small red onion (divided)
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded ­(divided)
• 1 small sweet red pepper (divided)
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry

Chive leaves and blossoms, nasturtium blossoms

Cook spaghetti in boiling water with bay leaf and salt until just tender. Drain well, discard bay leaf, mix with oil and garlic, and chill.

Mince half the cucumber, onion, and pepper, and reserve. Mince one of the tomatoes and reserve. Place rest of tomatoes in blender or food processor with vinegar, basil, oregano, thyme, minced nasturtium blossoms, and saffron, and puree. Add rest of cucumber, onion, and pepper, and pulse several times to chop coarsely. Stir in sherry, and add salt to taste.

Mix sauce with spaghetti. Divide in four bowls and sprinkle each serving with minced tomato, cucumber, onion, and pepper. Garnish each serving with three chive leaves, several chive blossoms, and a nasturtium blossom.

Helen D. Conwell
Fairhope, Alabama

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