Pasta Caprese
Nadia Caterina Munno, aka the Pasta Queen, says that this simple pasta dish will transport you directly to Capri, the Italian island that gives Caprese salad and this dish their names. With just five main ingredients and only 15 minutes of cook time, this dish couldn’t be simpler, but the quality of the ingredients really matters. “Like we do in Italy, only use tomatoes at their peak of freshness, when they are bursting with sweetness and acidity—out-of-season tomatoes will taste flavorless and sad by comparison,” the Pasta Queen explains. Spaghetti is a great match for these ingredients. But for a more impressive presentation, you can also choose to make this recipe, as the Pasta Queen does, with pennoni, or large tubes of penne. A version of this recipe appears in The Pasta Queen Cookbook.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. (500 g) spaghetti or pennoni
- Sea salt, to taste
- 3 medium tomatoes on the vine, cored and roughly chopped
- 4 oz. (125 g) fresh mozzarella pearls
- 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 to 8 leaves of fresh basil
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt the water, so it tastes like a well-seasoned soup. Drop the pasta into the water and cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Stir with the passion of an Italian until everything is well combined. Let the sauce sit while the pasta cooks.
Drain the al dente pasta and combine it with the fresh tomato sauce. Toss until everything is combined, then tear the fresh basil leaves on top and serve. Serves 4.
Recipe courtesy of Nadia Caterina Munno, the Pasta Queen