A couple weeks ago my husband emailed me a recipe that he found in the New York Times that he thought I would enjoy. So, last night he decided that he would make it for me. He even went to the grocery store and everything. It was so easy to make that even the most kitchen-phobic husband can master it... and it's delicious to boot!

Pasta With Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if small, quartered if large
1 plump garlic clove, minced or put through a press
Salt to taste (I like to use a very good coarse sea salt or fleur de sel for this)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup arugula leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon slivered or chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound fusille, farfalle, or orecchiette (we used Barilla Plus rigatoni)
1/4 cup freshly grated ricotta salata or Parmesan (more to taste)

1. Combine the cherry tomatoes, garlic, salt, balsamic vinegar, arugula, basil, and olive oil in a wide bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt and the pasta. Cook al dente, until the pasta is firm to the bite. Drain, toss with the tomatoes, sprinkle on the cheese, and serve.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Advance preparation: You can make the tomato and arugula mixture a few hours ahead.

Approximate nutritional information: 407 calories; calories from fat 92; total fat: 10.3g; saturated fat 2.0g; cholesterol 6mg; sodium 140mg; total carbohydrates 67.4g; dietary fiber 4.0g; sugars 3.7g; protein 13.9g (Data provided by calorie-count.com)