Summer garden pasta . . . spaghetti with basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella

 

Our little potted garden is producing more tomatoes than I know what to do with.  The photo below shows one week's worth of pickings, and that's not including the big, beautiful heirlooms we're growing too.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining! We've been enjoying them straight from the garden as a snack, in omelettes, tacos, and salads . . .  and, my favorite, in simple Summer pasta dishes . . . like this one.

If you watch Barefoot Contessa then you've probably seen her make a dish similar to this one. 

In fact, it was her Summer garden pasta that inspired my version, which includes additional herbs and fresh mozzarella. 

So what makes this simple Summer pasta dish so darn good?

Besides the beautiful red, orange, and yellow tomatoes from our garden, I added lots of fresh herbs too . . . sweet basil, Greek basil, and Italian flat leaf parsley. I also love the addition of fresh mozzarella! It's light & creamy flavor and texture is a perfect compliment to the pasta and tomatoes.

Perhaps what makes this dish special too, is its preparation . . . 

I add quality olive oil and fresh grated Parmesan cheese to the hot pasta, immediately after draining it . . . which allows the cheese to cling to each strand of pasta . . . so that every single bite is flavored with this salty goodness. Yum!

Add the fresh basil and tomato mixture, crushed red pepper flakes (see photo) for a little kick, and creamy mozzarella & fresh herbs for a final touch . . . and you have a light and flavorful dish perfect for any Summer day!

Summer garden pasta

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

quality olive oil

3 pints of cherry tomatoes, halved

3 garlic cloves, minced

12 large basil leaves, julienned, plus extra for serving

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (see photos below)

salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound spaghetti

1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
2 cups of fresh mozzarella (add more if you love it!), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 Tablespoons fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped for serving

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

Preparation

Combine the cherry tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature for at least an hour.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt to the boiling water, and then add the pasta. Cook al dente, according to the directions on the package. 

Drain the pasta well and pour into a large serving bowl. 

Drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil over the hot pasta, toss; and then sprinkle 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta, toss well. 

Add the basil tomato mixture, fresh mozzarella cubes, extra fresh basil and Italian flat leaf parsley. Toss well. 

Serve with extra Parmesan cheese on each serving. Enjoy!

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