Caprese Pasta Salad

It's no secret that one of my favorite ingredient combinations is fresh tomato, mozzarella and basil. Add a little balsamic glaze to that, and now we're in business! Oh, it's also a well known fact that I am a serious "pasta-holic", so when I was asked by The Mr. (last minute, of course) to whip up a dish for one of his office cookouts, I decided to stick to my faves!

This recipe can be put together in 30 minutes, tops. Yes, even including the pasta!
Here's what you have to do:

Ingredients

Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes

Fresh Basil 

Fresh Mozzarella
Balsamic Glaze (get the recipe here)
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Black Pepper

Preparation

1. In a large pot, prepare any shape of pasta you would like and cook al dente, meaning a taaad bit under cooked.

2. At this point, cut your cherry tomatoes into halves, chiffonade  the fresh basil, and cut the mozzarella into cubes.

3. Once your pasta is done, drain through a colander and transfer immediately into an ice bath. This is the main trick to pasta salad on the fly! This will cool down your pasta and prevent the noodles from getting too sticky. After they get a nice cool down, drain again.

4. In a large mixing bowl, toss the pasta with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. These simple spices will be the perfect balance to the fresh ingredients that are going on top.

5. Transfer the pasta into your serving bowl, arrange your tomatoes, mozzarella and basil however you wish and drizzle the balsamic glaze over the top. Be sure to save some extra for guests to add to their own serving!

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