Pasta Caprese

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Beat the heat this summer with this quick and easy pasta dish ready in 10 minutes or less. The great thing about this dish is it can be served immediately over hot cooked pasta or made ahead and eaten cold as a pasta salad.

Ingredients:

1 ½  pounds cherry tomatoes, halved
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
½ lb fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1lb DeLallo Penne Pasta
salt and pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400.  

Place the cherry tomato halves on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and coarse sea salt. Toss lightly.  Bake the tomatoes in the oven just until they begin to burst and the skin loosens, about 8 minutes.  Remove from the oven.

Mix tomatoes, mozzarella, oil and vinegar in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature. Mix in chopped basil.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain.  You have the option of serving this dish hot at this point, or allowing the pasta to cool and serve as a cold pasta salad.   Add tomato mixture and toss gently to blend. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 4-6 Send to friend Printer-friendly version