Spaghetti Alla Caprese Recipes

PASTA CAPRESE

Steps:

• Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, shallot and garlic in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add sugar, if desired (depending on the sweetness of your tomatoes). Add the tomatoes and gently toss. Marinate at room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain in a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
• Add the pasta and mozzarella to the tomato mixture and toss. Stir in the basil and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, tossing occasionally, until serving.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CAPRESE

Steps:

• Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente, about 6 minutes. While the spaghetti is cooking, begin to make the sauce. Mix the tomatoes and mozzarella in a large bowl. Add the best available extra-virgin olive oil, oregano, basil leaves, and salt, to taste.
• When the spaghetti is ready, remove it from the water and add it to the bowl with approximately 1/2 cup of pasta water. Mix well, and serve immediately.

FUSILLI ALLA CAPRESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

RAVIOLI ALLA CAPRESE

Steps:

• For the dough: In a small saucepan, over high heat, bring the water and salt to a simmer. Put the flour in a medium bowl. Pour the hot water over the flour and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to bring it together into a shaggy dough. Transfer the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and continue to work and knead the dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Meanwhile for the filling, in a medium bowl mix together the ricotta, caciotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, oregano, egg and salt.
• For the sauce: Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until the garlic is lightly browned. Stir in the tomato puree and nestle in the basil and cheese rind. Add the salt. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 12 minutes. Remove and discard the basil and cheese rind.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the pasta dough into a large rectangle about 1/8-inch-thick. Place little mounds, about 2 teaspoons, of the filling about an inch apart down the edge of the rectangle closest to you. Fold the unfilled portion of the dough over the line of filling and gently press down around all the filling to seal the dough. Using a small 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut out the ravioli. Remove any scrap dough from the top and repeat the process. You should end up with around 30 ravioli. In batches, add the ravioli to the boiling water and simmer until they float and are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon.
• To serve, place a spoonful of sauce in the center of the plate and position the ravioli around it. Sprinkle with more Parmigiano Reggiano and garnish with a few leaves of basil.

ONE-POT CAPRESE PASTA

Steps:

• Place the tomatoes, spaghetti, water, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano and oil in a stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally.
• Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pot from heat and stir in the basil, mozzarella and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Parmesan if using.

CAPRESE-STYLE SPAGHETTI (SPAGHETTI ALLA CAPRESE)

Steps:

• BRING a large pot of water to a boil.
• HEAT oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; stir for 1 to 2 minutes. ADD tomatoes and seasoning; reduce heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• COOK pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.
• ADD hot pasta to skillet mixture. Add cheese; stir until slightly melted. Transfer to serving platter. Garnish with oregano leaves.
• Tip: Substitute shredded mozzarella cheese for buffalo mozzarella. Substitute dried oregano for fresh.