Tomorrow, Wes and Clay go back to work and school, and on Wednesday, Ava and William go back to school. I am ready for the routine and normalcy, but it was really nice having everyone home. With no schedules, appointments, or responsibilities. We slept late, watched movies, had lots of couch cuddling, made good meals and played. A lot. It was a very nice way to spend a holiday. It always seems that after Christmas, the rest of the year flies by. This year, we have a big move at the end of the school year, and it just reminds me that our time here is coming to an end. That makes me both happy and sad. I look forward to what is to come, but I really love my life in California.
Anyway, let’s talk about pasta. In particular, this pasta dish. I know that this pasta dish is delicious because my husband not only eats it, he gets seconds, and he loves it. The reason why this is telling is because he does not like pasta. He eats it if I put it in front of him, but he never goes out of his way to eat it. For the longest time we did not eat pasta because Will and I were the only ones that really liked it. Well, Clay will eat just about anything, but I digress. One glorious day, Ava decided that pasta is one of the 6 foods that she will eat. You think that I am exaggerating, but I am not. I found this recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine and have made it many, many times since. It takes no time at all to make and is fresh tasting and flavorful. A keeper. It is also perfect for Meat Free Monday.
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons capers
1 clove minced garlic
8 ounces fresh mozzarella
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 box orecchiette (or any other tube pasta you have)
1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid
salt and pepper
1/3 cup roasted pine nuts
Parmesan cheese
In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, capers, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the tomatoes and mozzarella.
Give a good toss. Let this marinate for 30 minutes if possible. I do this if I have time, if I don’t I do this while the water is boiling for the pasta.
Toss in the basil and parsley. I reserve a little for adding at the very end.
Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water.
Make sure to reserve at least 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
Add the pasta and the reserved pasta water. Toss well. Check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed.
Sprinkle the reserved herbs on the top. Add the pine nuts and some Parmesan cheese.
This is also really good as a cold pasta salad. I hope that you like this as much as we do.
Bruschetta Pasta
Bruschetta Pasta - everything you love about bruschetta, but tossed with pasta. Such an easy weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons capers
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1 box orecchiette (or any other tube pasta you have)
- 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid
- salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup roasted pine nuts
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, capers, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the tomatoes and mozzarella.
- Give a good toss. Let this marinate for 30 minutes if possible. I do this if I have time, if I don’t I do this while the water is boiling for the pasta.
- Toss in the basil and parsley. I reserve a little for adding at the very end.
- Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water.
- Make sure to reserve at least 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
- Add the pasta and the reserved pasta water. Toss well. Check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed.
- Sprinkle the reserved herbs on the top. Add the pine nuts and some Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0 Total Fat: 0g
46 Comments
I’m going to need a big ‘ol bowl of this somewhere right about now. Looks divine! I love orecchiette!
I do too! Come visit and I will make you some.
I’m a little funkified about my son, who’s 7, going back to school, too. He had had 3 weeks off and we spent much of it in our pajamas and baking, watching movies or making art. Aside from the fact that I miss him when he’s in school all day, I’m not so jazzed about getting back into the early-morning routine, the homework, etc. But having something new to look forward to, even small things like this pasta recipe, are a help.
I have a hard time with the early morning routine as well. I know that they are ready to see their friends and get back to their activities, but I liked having everyone home.
This looks delicious and light- perfect for the new year! I love anything with capers. I’ll bet this is great cold too!
Me too. Love capers.
This looks heavenly!!
kisses
Heather
thank you Heather!
oh, so yummy. that looks wonderful, and just right for the kind of weather we’ve been having in LA!
this is one of my new favorites. I could eat it every day. Did you have a nice holiday?
This looks so yummy! I can’t wait to try it! 🙂
good! Let me know how it goes.
This looks sooooooo good. I can’t wait to make it for my family.
thanks, my family loves is. I should have mentioned too, that it is really good without pasta. You can put the tomato and cheese mixture over bread. Yum.
Wow…what a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
no problem!
I love bruschetta… I made a similar dish over the summer, using a gf spaghetti… yours looks so flavorful and fresh – and PRETTY!
sounds good.
This looks Fantastic! (or Pawtastic, as Atticus would say). I make a similar pasta, but you’ve added the capers and pine nuts. Must try!! Thanks for the great recipe, and as a vegetarian, I appreciate the meat-free main dish ideas.
Your fellow SacConnect blogger –
Heidi & Atticus
https://www.atticusuncensored.com
“commentary to give you paws…”
Hello Heidi! Hello Atticus! Welcome. I love capers. And vegetarian food. I try to eat veg every Monday, but sometimes it happens on another day.
This looks wonderful! For me, coming from Italian decent, anything pasta is my favorite, especially when you include mozzarella. I totally understand having an Ava that only eats six things, I have one of those as well!
What a small world! Two Avas that eat nothing. LOL….
That looks delicious! I have another recipe that calls for orecchiette, but I couldn’t find it at Safeway or Nugget. Where did you buy it?
I got mine at Nugget. I have also gotten it at Whole Foods.
I just love making this type of salad during the summer, it’s great to bring on picnics and the leftovers are really yummy cold like you said!
me too… this is good on grilled bread too.
This was so yummy, and pretty:) My husband and I really loved it, I can’t wait to eat it for lunch for the next couple days:) Definitely a pasta salad to bring to a get together too. Thanks for sharing!
I love this pasta, glad that you did too.
Excellent recipe. Well written and easy to follow. Oh and I should add… …delicious.
Thanks
thank you Harry!
I just love this recipe. I have made it 6 times in the last 5 weeks – for company and for weekends – hot, cold – it is just so delicious! I just wanted to tell you that the first time I made this recipe, I used balsamic vinegar because I did not have red wine vinegar. I loved it. I did get the red wine vinegar for the next time, and it was good. But I think I like the balsamic vinegar better. I looked at it last night, and it was not as pretty, as the balsamic vinegar makes the pasta darker, but either way – it is delicious. Try it both ways! I probably would not use balsamic vinegar if children were going to eat it! Love, love- love this site, and as we are always talking about it, I am sure that traffic from Tallahassee, Florida will pick up. Stay healthy and keep cooking. I appreciate you!
I am glad that you like it! Balsamic would be great in here too. My kids love balsamic vinegar, so I would make it for them. This is one of my favorite dishes too.
I made this with balsamic vinegar and it was a huge hit! I just posted it on my blog today.
Thanks Bree!
Great! I’ll have to check it out.
Thank you so much for this recipe! My husband usually hates the idea of a meatless meal but he was RAVING about this. I thought it was wonderful too and can’t wait to eat the leftovers cold for lunch tomorrow. I used walnuts instead of the pine nuts and it turned out great!
you are welcome Corrie! I have converted my husband to meatless meals and now he doesn’t even notice.
We love it, I insist my wife make twice as much as required because it’s even better cold!
Is it? Good to know Bren!
Thank you for this! I’ve made it twice in the last two weeks to rave reviews. It is a keeper.
You are welcome Jodi! Glad that you like it.