I love to make this pasta dish on a summer evening. The heat from the pasta warms the fresh tomatoes and basil and creates a delicious dish. I prefer to use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil because that oil can be used to punch up the dish with an extra boost of the earthy tomato flavor infused in the oil. If you don't have smoked mozzarella on hand, you can simply omit it from the recipe and substitute more of the plain mozzarella. It's equally delicious.
Ingredients
1poundheirloom tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
2clovesgarlic, minced or sliced thinly
1ouncesun-dried tomatoes
1Tablespoonoil from sun-dried tomatoes
1Tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
4 - 6ouncesmozzarella, cut into cubes
12ouncespenne pasta
1handful basil leaves, torn or sliced into thin ribbons
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 Tablespoon of salt to the water and return to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, combine the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes with the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet. Warm gently over low heat until the garlic is fragrant. Roughly chop or julienne the sun-dried tomatoes before adding them to the warm oil. Add the fresh tomatoes to the skillet and warm briefly over low heat.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat. If the pan is dry, add water from the pasta pot to moisten. Remove from the heat and add the basil and mozzarella. Gently stir the mixture. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve warm garnished with balsamic vinegar glaze.