Ingredients:
- 320 g short pasta (such as farfalle, penne, fusilli, or your preferred type)
- 250 g Apulian mozzarella (or fior di latte)
- 300 g fresh cherry tomatoes (cherry, datterini, or a mix)
- Fresh basil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions:
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for the time indicated on the package. Drain al dente and immediately cool under running water to stop the cooking process.
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Prepare the ingredients:
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half or quarters, depending on their size.
- Cut the mozzarella into cubes.
- Assemble: In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and plenty of fresh basil, torn by hand.
- Dress: Season with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
- Chill: Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve: Serve the cold pasta salad with mozzarella and fresh cherry tomatoes garnished with more fresh basil.
Chef's Tips:
- For a more intense flavor, you can add a few cloves of crushed garlic to the olive oil.
- You can enrich the salad with other ingredients as you like, such as corn, roasted peppers, green olives, capers, etc.
- Remember to enjoy the cold pasta salad with mozzarella and fresh cherry tomatoes well chilled to fully appreciate its freshness and flavor.
