Twist on an Oldie

The first recipe I ever blogged about was a caprese-esque pasta dish.   A childhood comfort food growing up, this pasta dish is now what I turn to when I’m craving simplicity (both in my life and my kitchen).  I’m constantly tweaking it, making slight changes here and there depending on my mood.

Continuing on the healthy front, I opted for whole wheat pasta in Sunday night’s version.  Truth be told, I’m not a lover of whole wheat pasta.  I’d often rather go without pasta that utilize whole wheat noodles.  But laden with poor eating guilt, I succumbed to them in the store.  If I am going whole wheat, I find shorter noodles to be much more approachable.  And of all the short pastas, I have a thing for fusili.  In a dish like this, fusili is the perfect size to allow one to capture a bit of every ingredient in each bite- and that’s exactly how you want to consume this meal.

I’m partial to this new version because it can be served room temp or cold, which makes it excellent for leftovers or transporting to summer get cook outs.

Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Pasta

Serves 4

1 lb whole wheat fusili

1 pint cherry tomatoes, diced

2 T minced garlic

2 cups packed basil, chopped

12 small balls or 1 large ball

olive oil

s+p to taste

Set a large pot of water to boil.  Once boiling, drop your pasta and cook until just al dente (7-8 minutes).  Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a small baking dish toss together chopped tomatoes with olive, salt, and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.  Remove the tomatoes from the oven, toss in garlic, and roast for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Once pasta is cooked, drain and place in a large bowl.  Stir in a bit of olive oil so the noodles don’t stick.  While pasta cools, chop basil and cut mozzarella into small cubes.  Toss in tomatoes, then basil, and lastly the mozzarella.  Add a liberal amount of salt and pepper to season.  Serve immediately or at room temperature.