Every once in a while I like to pat myself on the back in the kitchen, and this is definitely one of those times. As a Caprese salad lover, it wasn’t a stretch to get to this recipe that combines the flavors of that salad with a heartier pasta salad. I happened to have a fancy-brand jar of pesto, and the grocery store just happened to have the small bite-size mozzarella on sale, so a week or two ago I put a few things together, and it turned out pretty spectacular. I’m a firm believer in keeping things simple but tasty.
(I have to say, though, I love our local Pam’s Pesto, and I love it when I take time to make fresh pesto myself. I cheated with pesto in this recipe, and that’s the one area I think could’ve been better.)
All that was needed was a box of gluten-free pasta, a container of cherry tomatoes, a jar of pesto, and two packages of bite-size mozzarella cheese. When you’re cooking with gluten-free pasta, the biggest struggle is not overcooking it, especially when it’s going into a salad. This is one time when reading the directions on the box is a very good idea.
Put salted water on to boil for the pasta. While that’s heating up, cut the cherry tomatoes in half and put them in a large salad bowl. Break apart the mozzarella and add to the bowl. Add about a cup of the pesto. Cook and drain the pasta, rinsing it with cool water so it doesn’t melt the cheese in the salad. Once the pasta is at room temperature, toss it in with the other ingredients. This makes a good-size salad, large enough to share. And it makes for terrific leftovers for lunch the next day.
