When Le Cirque opened in 1976, Jean Vergnes was the chef-partner with Sirio Maccioni, the famous restaurateur. One day, not too long before the opening, Pierre, Ed Giobbi and I were talking with Jean and a few other chefs, and Sirio asked Ed if he could think up a new and interesting pasta dish for the new restaurant. Ed boasted about a pasta recipe of his grandmother's that consisted of pasta served with a salad of raw tomatoes or early spring vegetables. Pasta Primavera was born and would be expounded upon in dozens of ways in the years to come.

Ed's original recipe of room temperature tomato cubes marinated in olive oil and flavored with basil and garlic is still the best for me and the one that is most often enjoyed at my home when tomatoes are in season. The tomato salad is also a great mixture to pile on top of toast for serving as crostini.