Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

I can’t let summer slip past without at least one super simple, epically flavorful pasta dish. Fresh summer produce with pasta, a little cheese and herbs is hands down my favorite combination.

The single cherry tomato plant growing in my garden could feed half the neighborhood with what it's producing so it made sense to come up with a recipe where the tomatoes could be the stars of the show.

I’m generally a little fussy about tomatoes; I basically only like summer tomatoes, preferably ones I’ve grown or bought at the farmers market. Otherwise, they can be a bit mealy, squishy and bland (to me).

But a cooked tomato is a magical thing. The heat condenses the flavor magnifying the tangy sweet tomato flavor. A pinch of salt helps marry the tomatoes with whatever other flavors are included in the recipe such as the onion and garlic. So, whether you’ve got the freshest garden tomatoes or you happened to grab a container of tomatoes at the grocery store, you can make this delicious, summery dish and its going to turn out wonderfully.

That said, you’ve got some options when it comes to this recipe. I prefer to sauté the cherry tomatoes for just a few minutes. I like their bright acidic flavor and wanted a nice light sauce. But, if your tomatoes aren’t super fresh or you prefer a richer, thicker sauce, you can cook the tomatoes on low for 30 minutes so that a deeper flavor develops. The tomatoes will completely break down and a rustic sauce will form. I recommend a short pasta for this dish. You certainly can use spaghetti noodles but the sauce won’t cling to the long skinny noodles like something smaller and wider. And finally, if you want some protein to build up this dish a little, a natural choice would be a sweet and spicy pork or turkey Italian sausage. You can cook it in the same sauté pan as the tomatoes, just cook your protein first, set aside and then proceed with the recipe.

August is the month for farmers markets, farm stands and harvesting anything you planted in your garden. Scoop up all the fresh corn, tomatoes, peaches, nectarines and various vegetables before the season slips away. When it’s either too hot to cook or inspiration doesn’t strike, lean on this lovely summery delicious dish.

Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

• 12 ounces pasta noodles (about 3/4 of a box)

• 4 cups cherry tomatoes

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 medium walla walla sweet onion minced

• 3 cloves garlic minced

• 4 ounces marinated mozzarella balls

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup minced basil leaves

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• Kosher salt and black pepper

Start by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water boils, add the pasta noodles and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta from the water, reserving about a half cup pasta water. Set aside to use later.

Give the cherry tomatoes a good rinse, removing any stems. If the tomatoes are on the larger size, slice in half. Set aside. Mince a small walla walla sweet onion OR as an alternative, a shallot. Mince three cloves of garlic.

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic to the pan and give the mixture a good stir. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Once the garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes, add in the cherry tomatoes. Turn the heat to low and stir well, so the tomatoes are well-coated in the olive oil and onion mixture. Add another sprinkle of salt and pepper along with a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring almost constantly for 5 to 8 minutes until the tomatoes start to split and a few burst. Once the tomatoes begin to break down, turn the heat off to the pan.

Add the cooked pasta to the tomatoes along with the herbed mozzarella balls. Toss to combine and add a few tablespoons of pasta water. Mix well, adding a little more pasta water if needed until a light sauce forms. Stir in parmesan cheese and minced basil. Reserve a little of the basil and parmesan to the side for garnish. Taste and add another pinch of salt and pepper if needed, garnish with parmesan cheese and basil. Serve immediately. Serves 4.