Name: Fusilli with Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: table salt; 1 pound fusilli; 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium clove garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 1 teaspoon); 3 medium scallions, sliced thin; Ground black pepper; 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Why This Recipe Works

Summer tomatoes containing excess liquid can result in a watery, bland pasta sauce. To avoid this problem in our raw tomato sauce recipe, we seeded the tomatoes. For robust flavor, we used extra-virgin olive oil, which also worked to coat the pasta and bind it to the sauce. We then added ingredients like garlic, black olives, and Parmesan to our raw tomato sauce recipe to bring the acidity and sweetness of the tomatoes into an ideal balance.

Before You Begin

For maximum creaminess, use fresh mozzarella packed in water rather than the shrink-wrapped cheese sold at supermarkets.

Instructions

Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in stockpot; add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta, stir to separate, and cook until al dente. Drain and return pasta to stockpot.

Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, oil, garlic, scallions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Add tomato mixture and mozzarella to pasta in stockpot and toss to combine. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve immediately.