Penne Margherita

 

How we make it.

*serves 6 to 8*

1 pound penne, cooked in boiling salted water per package instructions
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 - 28 ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
Kosher salt
20 fresh basil leaves
8 ounces fresh pearl mozzarella (or fresh mozzarella cut into little bites)

In a large pot bring 12 cups of water to boil and once boiling, season with 3 tablespoons of kosher salt. Add penne and cook a minute shy of package instructions. While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet or braiser on medium heat. Add olive oil and 10 basil leaves, cooking for a minute or two until basil leaves shrivel up. What you're doing here is flavoring the oil. Add crushed tomatoes to the oil, five more basil leaves and a teaspoon of kosher salt, stirring to combine. Bring the tomato sauce to a bubble then reduce heat and simmer while pasta cooks, about 8 minutes or so. At this point you can remove the shriveled basil leaves or leave them in, your choice. They're not real cute anymore so I take them out.

Once the pasta is about a minute shy of the cooking time directed on the package and nearly cooked through, remove from the boiling water and place directly into the sauce. Stir to combine and cook for a minute or so more. Turn off the heat and add fresh mozzarella. Garnish with the remaining five basil leaves, chopped or torn, and some additional extra virgin olive oil. Serve hot.

Why we make it.

In college I did a dumb little graphic design project for a restaurant called La Dolce Vita. It's probably gone now. It was a tiny little second floor ristorante in downtown Athens. I think they paid me in pasta because I remember eating there a lot after that. For some reason, no one else did! I don't know what that was about. The place was a diamond in the rough and so was the Italian guy who ran it. This pasta comes straight from his white tablecloths. A penne cooked in a simple crushed tomato showered with extra virgin olive oil, mozzarella and basil. It's a margherita pizza in a pasta package. How delighted was I to find a red sauce without oregano? Words can't explain. Just a nice San Marzano tomato, salted, oiled, basiled. Dotted with creamy, cool mozzarella. What more can I say? It's light! It’s delicate! It’s very kid friendly and easy to make. Pizza! Without the dough. There is no downside. And that's why I still make it.