Get your mind out of the gutter. Crudo means raw.
And no, the cannelloni wasn’t raw, the sauce was. Actually the fresh tomato sauce was almost raw or “quasi crudo” as they would say in Italy.
The story goes like this: it’s summer, no one wants to spend extra time in the kitchen, and we have tomatoes coming out of our ears.
And thus, I’ve learned inspiration and abundance make excellent cohorts.
Crudo Salsa
1 or 2 cored whole fresh summer red tomatoes
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
2 T soft white cheese like Ribiola Fresca
2 fingered pinch of salt
1 glug of olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
Pitch all the ingredients into the blender. Blend until lumpy (or until you have a pleasing, sauce like consistency). I was liking the lumpy bits and that’s what pleased me. You can go smoother or lumpier depending on your mood.
Pour over cooked pasta: spaghetti, ravioli, cannelloni. If you’ve started with room temperature ingredients, this sauce warms up as soon as it is mixed with the pasta.
I finished the sauce in the oven with a healthy sprinkle of grated parmigiano cheese, which is why my sauce is quasi crudo.
This ‘crudo’ sauce is a work in progress. Next variation will include lots of basil, and I think a chili pepper/oregano version could be tasty.
If you have a blender, and some tomatoes, let your imagination inspire you in all things crudo!
Buon appetito.