Pasta Caprese

Summertime is when I try new recipes. I work shorter hours, and am generally home by 1:30 or 2:00 in the afternoon. So I have plenty of leisure time to experiment with recipes.

Tonight is the last night that we will have Ilona, our guest from the Czech Republic, and I wanted to fix something that I thought she had not had before.

From the internet I found this pasta recipe. It says that it serves six. I want you to know that I made exactly HALF of the recipe. Three of us had generous portions and there are two lunch-size portions remaining. It was delicious and pretty. I didn't get a picture after it was assembled, but did get a photo of the main ingredients. Try it, you'll like it!

1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 Cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. real butter
1 Cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/4 cup finely chopped garlic
4 cups cherry tomatoes sliced in halves
1 pound fresh pasta (receipe recommends bowties; I used angel hair and would use bowties next time)
1 bag of baby spinach (optional)
1/2 Cup freshly grated Romano cheese
3/4 Cup chopped fresh basil

Cube the mozzarella, add sea salt and set aside. Heat oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When butter melts, lower the temperature to medium-low, add onion and garlic and cook slowly until the onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Add sliced tomatoes and cook 5 minutes. Cook and drain the pasta. Mix together pasta, tomato and onion mixture, salted mozzarella, 1/4 Cup of the Romano cheese, and 1/2 Cup of fresh basil. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with remainder of Romano and fresh basil. Serve hot and enjoy!

I made it as above with the spinach. Recipe also suggests possible addition of sauteed chicken or black olives. I'm thinking a few toasted pine nuts wouldn't hurt either.

Yum yum.