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Blistered Tomato Orecchiette with Fresh Mozzarella
Tossed with olive oil, garlic and seasonings, cherry or grape tomatoes blister and soften in minutes under the intense heat of the broiler. We deglaze their caramelized juices with a little starchy pasta cooking water to create a simple, flavorful, no-simmer sauce for orecchiette. Chopped basil, grated Parmesan and fresh mozzarella are stirred in near the end to create this summery insalata caprese–inspired pasta dish. A final few minutes in the pot lets everything mix, and allows the mozzarella to warm to just the right degree of meltiness. If you’re able to find mozzarella pearls, or perlini, use those. They’re so small they only need to be drained before use; no need to cut them into ¼-inch chunks.
4 to 6
Servings
Don’t use a baking sheet that is not broiler-safe to blister the tomatoes. Most nonstick bakeware and cookware is not safe for use under the broiler.
45 minutes
Ingredients
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1
pound orecchiette
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Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Directions
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01Heat the broiler with a rack positioned about 6 inches from the element. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Stir in the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.