Pesto Pasta

This classic pesto pasta recipe is a quick and easy way to satisfy your Italian cravings. The nutty and herbaceous pesto sauce is tossed with al dente pasta and topped with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese for a delicious and comforting meal.

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the bow tie pasta and cook to al dente according to the package directions, about 10 to 11 minutes. Before draining, scoop out and reserve about half a cup of the starchy pasta water.

2. 2

   While the pasta cooks, halve the cherry tomatoes and chop the fresh mozzarella into bite-size pieces. Keeping the mozzarella pieces roughly the size of the tomato halves gives you a little of everything in each bite.

3. 3

   Drain the pasta and return it to the warm pot, off the heat. Add the pesto and a splash of the reserved pasta water, then toss until every piece is glossy and evenly coated. The starchy water loosens the pesto into a silky sauce that clings to the pasta instead of sitting on top of it.

4. 4

   Fold in the cherry tomatoes and mozzarella. The residual warmth of the pasta will soften the cheese slightly without fully melting it, so you still get creamy pockets of mozzarella throughout.

5. 5

   Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature, adding an extra spoonful of pesto on top if you like it punchy.

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