Vacation Cherry Tomato Pasta
This pasta is an annual tradition each summer with my friends in Provincetown, as it takes advantage of summer tomatoes (feel free to substitute the cherry tomatoes for heirlooms or whatever looks good at the market) and besides the pasta, it’s a no-cook dish that can be eaten warm or room temperature, which is perfect for low-maintenance, easy dinners after long lazy days at the beach. I’ve added oregano (summer rentals always seem to have a jar of dried oregano sitting there don’t they? This is the time to use it!), a hit of lemon zest for brightness, and a trick I learned from years of travelling to Italy for work—a rub of garlic along the interior of the serving bowl which imparts just enough subtle garlic flavor without the bitterness. Since this pasta dish is so simple, use the best quality mozzarella and tomatoes you can find.
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
2 pints cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1½ tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
1 lb. dry short pasta
1 lb. fresh mozzarella, cut or torn into bite sized pieces
¼ cup parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tsp lemon zest, plus more for finishing
1 cup basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish
1 large garlic clove, cut in half
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
Add cherry tomatoes to a small bowl and season with ½ to 1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add oregano and olive oil and mix to combine. Let sit for 10-15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
In a large pot of well-salted water, cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. When pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain the pasta, then return the pasta to the pot. Add tomatoes (and any liquid), to the pot along with pasta water, mozzarella, parmesan and lemon zest. Mix to combine. Just before serving, stir in basil leaves.
Rub the cut side of the garlic along the interior of a shallow serving bowl. Add pasta to serving bowl, finish with more parmesan and lemon zest and serve warm or at room temperature.