Reading last weeks New York Times Magazine on this rainy Saturday afternoon, I came accross this recipe for summer pasta which uses the same ingredients in the salad I made yesterday and is a new twist in pasta salad.

  • 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup of your favorite olive oil
  • 12 basil leaves
  • 7 large ripe tomatoes
  • salt
  • 1 pound dried rigatoni
  • 1 pound fresh, lightly salted mozzarella
  • country bread
  1. Take out your largest bowl. Add the garlic. Pour in 1/2 cup olive oil. With scissors, snip the basil leaves into shreds over the garlic mixture. Let sit all day.
  2. About two hours before serving, chop the tomatoes and add them to the bowl.
  3. When you are ready to eat, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, cut the mozzarella into small cubes.
  4. Drain the pasta and pour on top of the tomato mixture. Do not stir. Spread the mozzarella on top of the pasta and toss only the pasta and cheese; the cheese will soften slightly, and the pasta will get coated with fat. Then stir up from the bottom, incorporating the tomato mixture. Season with salt and add the remaining olive oil, if desired. Serve with bread. Serves 6.