Penne with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil, and Mozzarella

Every year we look forward to when our cherry tomatoes are ripe—primarily so that we can make this dish. You can eat it like we do while the pasta is hot and the sauce is room temperature. Or you can serve it all cold—toss the tomatoes and pasta while still hot, then set them aside until you’re ready to serve it. Finish the pasta by tossing in the basil and mozzarella cheese and serve.

1 pound ripe and juicy cherry tomatoes (the ones on the vine are the best—garden grown is preferable), rinsed, dried, and cut in half
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling over the finished pasta if you like
1 teaspoon sea salt, preferably coarse (the larger salt crystal helps to draw more liquid out of the tomatoes which makes more juice to use as sauce for the pasta)
Pinch crushed hot red pepper
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 pound penne pasta
10 fresh basil leaves, shredded
½ pound bocconcini (bite-size fresh mozzarella, cut in half—or use cubed fresh mozzarella)

Toss the tomatoes, oil, sea salt, and crushed red pepper together in a large bowl. Whack the garlic with the side of a knife and toss it into the bowl. Let marinate at room temperature, tossing once or twice, for 30 minutes.

While the tomatoes are marinating, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.

Stir the penne into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove the garlic from the marinated tomatoes and toss in the basil. Drain the pasta, add it to the bowl, and toss well to mix. Check the seasoning, adding salt and more crushed red pepper if necessary. Gently stir in the bocconcini and serve.