food (food) | caprese pasta salad

On Saturday my girlfriends and I got together at a friend's house for a belated holiday celebration.  Since my friend kindly offered her place for us to gather and cook dinner, we all agreed to bring something to add to the feast.  She was planning on making a baked Italian chicken and my initial thought was to bring a traditional caprese salad, but since someone else was bringing a green salad I turned it into a pasta salad loaded with mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and lots of garlic!

What you'll need:

• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 3 lbs chopped and seeded roma tomatoes
• 1.5 cups chopped basil
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 package bow tie pasta (cooked and cooled at room temperature)
• 2 tbsp white granulated sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1.5 cups chopped mozarella

Directions:

1. In a small bowl combine garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl combine tomatoes, basil, mozarella with the garlic/olive oil/balsamic vinegar mixture. 
3. Add sugar and light salt/pepper.  If it's still a little bland start adding a little more salt until it reaches the desired flavor.
4. Once the right flavor is reached, add pasta and toss until evenly coated.

This dish is perfect as side to any of your favorite proteins and feeds 8 - 10 people. 

|Small tip for cooking the pasta -  I cook the pasta while the garlic is infusing the olive oil/balsamic mixture.  After straining the pasta I take about 2 tbsp of this mixture and toss it lightly with the pasta to add extra flavor while it cools.|