Caprese Pasta

I got this one from Sip and Feast on YouTube. It is a perfect Summer pasta recipe that is so simple its nearly impossible to screw up. You really do not want to cook it a lot. You still want the tomatoes to be firm, most of the cooking should be with the garlic in the oil, but not to brown it, just release the flavor of the garlic.

Keep this simple, no red pepper flakes, no pepper, no grated cheese, just what you see below!

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces and/or 1 dry pint (1.5 cups) cherry or grape tomatoes
12 ounces thin spaghetti or linguine
8 ounces mozzarella balls
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Approximately 17 fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons Kosher salt in the pasta water = 1 tablespoon if using dried spinach pasta

METHOD:

Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt to a pot with 2 quarts of boiling water. Add spaghetti and stir frequently.
In a sautée pan, add 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, add garlic, salt and cook until fragrant but not browned.
cut the tomatoes in half, add to the pan, heat through but not cook until soft.
Add about half a cup of the pasta water to the sautée pan.
When pasta is finished to al dente (about 10 minutes), add to the pan with oil, garlic and tomatoes. Stir and mix together.
Add in mozzarella and mix well.
Finish with more good quality extra virgin olive oil and chopped basil.