This is a summer dish, but if you can find ripe cherry tomatoes, then it can be made every season. And it’s one of those pasta dishes where the sauce is so quick it can be made as the pasta cooks – my favorites when I don’t have time to plan ahead. Despite its disarming simplicity, this dish is very complete and balanced – the acidity of the tomato is countered by the creaminess of the mozzarella, and the sweetness of the tomato-mozzarella base is countered by the savoriness of capers and olives. I called it “Mediterranean Pasta”, let’s dive into it!
Mediterranean Pasta with Capers, Olives, Cherry Tomatoes, and Mozzarella
Ingredients
- 5 oz (140 g) dried linguine or spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons capers (brine-pickled)
- 3 tablespoons green olives (pitted and sliced, brine-pickled)
- 9 oz (250 g) cherry tomatoes, each cut lengthwise in four
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 4 oz (115 g) fresh mozzarella (e.g. 2 medium bocconcini), diced
- Salt and pepper
Preparation
- Toss the pasta in salted boiling water. In a pan, sauté capers and olives in the oil.
- Add the tomatoes and oregano to the pan, maintaining medium heat. Roast for 3-4 minutes.
- While the pasta cooks, cover the pan with a lid and cook at low heat until the tomatoes wilt (about 5 minutes). Adjust salt and pepper.
- Rapidly drain the pasta and finish cooking it in the sauce until al dente.
- Take the pan off the heat, add the mozzarella, stir briefly. Serve immediately.
© Paolo Rigiroli
This is the kind of dish that gets us through the week. 🙂