Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

What is it about tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil that is so amazing? This dish has become one of our favorite go-to meals this summer. It's a quick, easy dinner that's great for those days that are way too hot to even consider turning on the oven. Plus, it's especially great this time of year, when there is an abundance of fresh tomatoes and basil.

The recipe originally comes from the cookbook Italianissimo, found here. It's a giant cookbook full of pictures sure to make your mouth water and over 600 recipes. Luckily for me, my dad snagged me a copy at a Barnes and Noble clearance table awhile back. (Thanks, Dad!) Anyway, on to the recipe!

Here's what you'll need:

1lb spaghetti
2 lbs cherry tomatoes, cut in half (I used grape)
8 oz fresh mozzarella, cut in small cubes
2 T finely chopped basil, plus extra to garnish
1 T finely chopped mint (skip if you like, I happened to have some growing off my deck so I used it)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (we like garlic, so I use 2-3 cloves)
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, mint, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with basil, serve immediately.

Tip: I find it easier to set the mozzarella aside for a few minutes while I toss everything else with the pasta.  This way, the spaghetti will cool for a minute and helps prevent all the cheese from sticking together in one giant glob. Also, since mozzarella can be a pain to cut, I find it easier to skip that step. My grocery store sells mozzarella in pearls, (basically bite sized balls of cheese stuck together) so I just break them apart over the pasta when I'm ready for it.