Every year my mom's tomato crop gets bigger and bigger. When I was a kid, I couldn't understand the inexplicable reason why her pasta got better in the summer - she canned the same tomatoes and we ate them all winter long. I now realize it's because those fresh summer tomatoes are cooked a lot less - and, of course, because nothing is better than a fresh tomato (except maybe a fresh tomato sprinkled with salt). The pasta sauces of my youth always had a touch of cream, but I prefer a dollop of homemade ricotta (using Jennifer Perillo's recipe). A few handfuls of good cherry tomatoes make it even better - I love the way the juices burst as you fork your way through the pasta.

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