Hot Caprese Pasta Salad is a keeper!
My Hot Caprese Pasta Salad isn’t your typical North American macaroni pot-luck go-to. Instead of elbow pasta, mayo and chopped celery, I borrowed ingredients from the classic Italian Caprese salad: tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I cooked up some penne and, while it was still scalding hot, tossed it with the salad ingredients. When the hot pasta hit the fresh basil, my kitchen had a sensory overload. It smelled like summer. The heat also heightened the flavour of the tomatoes and caused the fresh mozzarella to get slightly gooey. I ate some hot – loved it. Ate some warm – still love. Eating it cold – love, love, love.
- 200g short cut pasta
- 3 vine-ripe tomatoes, stem end removed and cut into 8 wedges each\
- 12 yellow cocktail tomatoes, stem end removed and halved12 orange grape tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- large handful of fresh basil, hand torn
- 1 clove of garlic, minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 whole scallions, sliced
- 100 g fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes or use mini bocconcini
- In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except the tomato wedges.
- Add the tomatoes and gently toss to coat.
- Allow the tomatoes to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, gently stirring every 15 minutes.
- Cook pasta according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Drain cooked pasta well then toss immediately with marinated tomatoes.
- Serve hot, warm or cold.
This is the busiest time of year at the farm. Every waking hour, I’m playing in the dirt. Weeding, mulching, transplanting trees, planting, seeding, watering and photographing. Here’s a few shots from last night.
It’s going to be a spectacular summer. See you soon. XO
Thanks for reading.
