Finally, another post in this series! I'm so excited to share this recipe with you because it's one of my all time favorite weeknight pasta dishes. Penne with two tomatoes and mozzarella has all the ingredients for a perfect weeknight meal - simple, quick, and delicious.
Here's what you'll need:
- 6 oz fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 12 oz penne rigate
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (I prefer cherry, but either will work)
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (usually found in the produce aisle by the tomatoes)
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/4 cup snipped chives
Place cheese pieces in the freezer (this will help the mozz keep its shape once you add it to the pasta later.) In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water; drain pasta and set aside.
In pasta pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add the cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and pasta water. Cook until cherry tomatoes soften, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add pasta, chilled cheese, and chives to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
That's it! So easy. The recipe usually makes enough for both of us to have a healthy portion, and for me to take some to work the next day for lunch. It pairs great with a small side salad with balsamic dressing and bread (though it's filling enough we usually just have it on its own.)
Original recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart.