Cooktop Cove: This spaghetti dish is tremendously unrefined; friends can't help but have seconds
By Audrey Michels
Looking for a light and refreshing meal that’s ready faster than 30 minutes? Look no further. There is nothing better on a summer evening (or an evening you wish were a summer evening) than a plate of tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella … and spaghetti!
Instead of another bowl of jarred pasta sauce on top of boxed pasta, why not go all out and make the freshest version possible? If you can, use fresh pasta and locally sourced tomatoes and basil, because in a recipe with so few ingredients, quality makes all the difference. Also, be careful not to over-cook anything. You want the pasta al dente and the tomatoes to still taste fresh, just warmed through.
Caprese spaghetti
6
20 minutes
5 minutes
25 minutes
12 ounces spaghetti or linguine
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into strips
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
Salt and pepper
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, roughly sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil, torn or sliced
Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the box. Drain and set aside.
Add the olive oil to a large heavy skillet over a medium heat.
Once it's shimmering, add the garlic and Italian seasoning, and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and sauté about 2 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Put some cooked pasta on a plate, and put a few generous spoonfuls of the tomato mixture on top.
Add some torn basil and five or six pieces of mozzarella.