Basil pesto, burst cherry tomatoes and torn fresh mozzarella

≈ $10.25/serving$10.86at the cheapest of your stores this week · 7 ingredients on sale

Ingredients

• penne200 g
• fresh mozzarella1 ball
• cherry tomato1 pint
• basil leaves2 big handfuls
• parmesan cheese1/2 cup, grated
• olive oil1/3 cup
• garlic2 cloves
• lemon1 ea

Method

1Make the pesto

• •Finely chop the basil and pile it into a bowl.
• •Grate in the parmesan.
• •Mince one clove of the garlic and add it.
• •Stir in the olive oil, the juice of half of a lemon and a pinch of salt until it forms a loose green sauce.

2Boil the pasta

• •Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• •Cook the penne 10 to 12 minutes until tender.
• •Scoop out 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain.

3Blister the tomatoes

• •Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
• •Add the cherry tomatoes and cook 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until blistered and starting to burst.
• •Add the remaining minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

4Toss

• •Reduce the heat to low and add the drained pasta to the pan.
• •Add the pesto and a splash of the reserved pasta water.
• •Toss 1 minute until coated and glossy.
• •Tear the fresh mozzarella into bite-size pieces and fold it in off the heat so it just starts to soften.

5Plate

• •Divide between two bowls.
• •Season with pepper.
• •Garnish with a few small basil leaves.