Checca Pasta

Did you make the last pasta recipe I posted—the Penne with Cherry Tomatoes, Basil and Mozzarella? If so, you might have some leftover fresh mozzarella. This is what we made with the mozzarella we had left--our other favorite pasta dish to make with cherry tomatoes from the garden. It is also an uncooked tomato sauce, but with this version you chop everything up in the food processor (except the mozzarella) including the garlic. So this version has a little stronger garlic punch to it than the penne recipe. It is very fast to make, and absolutely delicious!

Recipe from Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis

1 (12-ounce) bag of cherry tomatoes, halved (I didn’t half mine—I figure that’s what the food processor is for)
3 scallions (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 (1 ounce) piece of Parmesan cheese, coarsely chopped (I grated mine and added some with the food processor and some after I was done processing)
8 fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cherry tomatoes, scallions, garlic, Parmesan, basil, and oil just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not puree). Transfer the sauce to a large bowl. Stir in the mozzarella cheese and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste. Toss the sauce immediately with your choice of freshly cooked pasta (our favorite is to use 1 pound of angel hair pasta).