Easy Caprese Pasta
Caprese pasta with cherry tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil tossed with al dente linguine and finished with fresh mozzarella, hand-torn basil leaves, and a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454g) thin linguine or any pasta you like
- 1/2 cup (120ml) extra virgin olive oil divided
- 5 cloves garlic sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
- 24 ounces (680g) cherry or grape tomatoes halved, (this is equal to 2 American dry pints)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups (480ml) reserved pasta water will most likely not need it all
- 3/4 pound (340g) mozzarella balls or a large ball cut into bite sized pieces
- 10 basil leaves
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta until 1 minute less than al dente.
- Heat a large pan to medium-low and saute the garlic in a ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil until golden (about 2 minutes). Once golden add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for 20 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes while waiting for the pasta.
- Add the pasta and 1 cup of pasta water. Toss to emulsify.
- Once the pasta is al dente remove the pan from the heat and add the mozzarella balls and toss once more. The residual heat will slightly melt the cheese.
- Season with salt to taste and add the basil leaves by hand tearing them into pieces. Drizzle with the remaining extra virgin olive oil. If the pasta is at all dry just add a bit more of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up. Enjoy!
Notes
- Servings. Makes 4 large or 6 moderate-size servings.
- Cheese. If you want the cheese completely melted just add it to the pan at the same time as the pasta instead of adding it when the pan is removed from the heat.
- Pasta water. Always reserve extra pasta water to thin the sauce in the event it dries out.
- Leftovers. Caprese Pasta can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be eaten cold or reheated.
Nutrition
Calories: 891kcal | Carbohydrates: 94.7g | Protein: 39.7g | Fat: 42.6g | Saturated Fat: 12.7g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 1100mg | Potassium: 418mg | Fiber: 6.1g | Sugar: 8.5g | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 4mg
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