When cherry tomatoes are at their sweetest, this is the pasta to make. They cook down into a quick sauce with garlic and olive oil, and torn mozzarella and basil finish it off.
A sauce that makes itself
Halved cherry tomatoes release their juice as soon as they hit the hot oil. Give them eight to ten minutes and they collapse into a chunky, sweet sauce, no blender needed. Press a few with your spoon to speed things up, and leave the rest whole for texture.
Don’t skip the pasta water
The starchy cooking water is what turns tomatoes and olive oil into a sauce that clings to the spaghetti. Scoop out a cup before you drain the pasta and add it a splash at a time while you toss everything together.
Choosing the mozzarella
Use fresh mozzarella (the soft balls packed in water) or mini mozzarella pearls, not the firm block for pizza. Add it off the heat: it should turn soft and creamy, not melt into long strings.
- Make it richer with a spoonful of ricotta or a torn ball of burrata on top.
- Add a handful of baby spinach with the pasta for some greens.
- Any long pasta works: linguine, bucatini or tagliatelle.
Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella Pasta
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ lb ripe cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 tsp salt plus more for the pasta water
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 8 oz mozzarella fresh, torn into pieces
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook 12 oz spaghetti until al dente, about 1 minute less than the package says, usually around 9 minutes. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water before you drain it.
- Meanwhile, warm 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 cloves garlic and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant but not brown.
- Add 1 1/2 lb ripe cherry tomatoes and 1 tsp salt. Cook, stirring now and then, until the tomatoes collapse and turn saucy, 8 to 10 minutes. Press a few with the back of a spoon to help them along.
- Add the drained spaghetti and a splash of the pasta water. Toss for 1 minute until the sauce clings to the pasta, adding more water if it looks dry.
- Take the skillet off the heat. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 1 cup fresh basil, keeping a few basil leaves for the top, then fold in 8 oz mozzarella. Season with black pepper and finish with the reserved basil.