Spaghetti a la Caprese
Hello, once again!
The holidays came and went in a flash and now with the New Year in full force I can’t be the only one wanting to simplify and organize and make healthy beautiful dinners that are not only easy on the budget but easy in the kitchen.
The cold makes me dream about our long summer days full of straight-from-the-garden produce, fresh flavors, and eating supper while watching the sun set in magical colors.
I love anything Caprese. And while it may not quite be that time of year where I can run out to the garden and gather all these ingredients, my local market always has fresh basil and tomatoes, and I find that cherry tomatoes have the closest flavor to our end-of-summer tomatoes. Juicy and packed with sweetness. So why not make a quick and easy pasta that includes some fresh and amazing ingredients with that “Caprese” flair?!?
Making a simple sauce for the pasta lets the toppings stand out. Tossing in the mozzarella last minute leaves behind semi-melted hunks of ooey gooey deliciousness. Fresh ingredients and made in a flash. One mouthful and I’ll be sent back to our dreamy summer days in the kitchen.
Cheers and love,
xoxo,
Paula
Spaghetti a la Caprese
Ingredients:
One box dried spaghetti-cooked
2 tbsp. Olive oil
2 tbsp. Butter
3 cloves Garlic
1 cup Reserved pasta water
Fresh mozzarella, diced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch Fresh basil leaves
1 container Red cherry tomatoes
Freshly grated Parmesan
Prep the mozzarella and slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Slice up your basil and set these ingredients aside. In a pot, melt the butter and olive oil together. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Take off heat and set aside while cooking your pasta.
Cook pasta al dente— about a minute less than package instructions. Reserve the pasta water and drain pasta. Throw pasta into the pot with the garlic and butter and oil. Toss and slowly add a little bit of pasta water to loosen up the sauce. (Will not use all the pasta water) Season with salt and pepper to taste while quickly tossing in your fresh mozzarella.
Plate and top with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately! Enjoy!