Spinach Linguine in Pesto and Tomato Sauce

Spinach Linguine in Pesto and Tomato Sauce and Fresh Mozzarella

After being absent from my blog for while, I feel like I have become obsessed with trying to find new entries and constantly keeping it updated! Or maybe, I am actually enjoying spending time in the kitchen ( something I never thought would happen!). Speaking of being in the kitchen, yesterday I was determined to mimic a recipe I had tasted at a restaurant on my recent trip to Panama City based simply upon taste. I know you must be thinking I am crazy, and there is no way it will actually come out successful, but much to my surprise, it did! So, if you're willing to take the chance on my recipe, here it is:

Ingredients:

• De Cecco Linguine with Spinach
• Buitoni Pesto with Basil Sauce
• 1 lb of Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
• One package of Organic Cherry Tomatoes
• Olive Oil with Pesto and Basil ( optional)

Preparations:

( cooking time: 40 minutes, serves 2-4 people)

I would first begin my preparing the pasta, because you can chop up the mozzarella cheese and tomatoes as you wait for the pasta to boil. So, begin preparing the pasta as you usually would by pouring 6 quarts of water in a pot per one pound of pasta on high and adding salt into the water to prevent the noodles from sticking. Meanwhile, as the water boils, chop up the tomatoes into small circular pieces keeping all the juices and seeds ( these will later help in preserving the tomato flavor when you get around to frying them). At this point the water should be boiling, so add the pasta and allow it to cook for eleven minutes uncovered. I allowed it to sit for 13 minutes just because I prefer softer noodles. If you choose to do this, make sure to be careful because overcooking pasta noodles can lead them to being sticky. As you wait for the pasta to boil, pour about two teaspoons of oil into a skillet, and allow it to heat. This should take no more than five minutes. Once you feel the oil has reached an appropriate heat, pour in the tomatoes with the seeds and heat for about 7 minutes. Or, at least until you feel the tomatoes soft enough, almost resembling a puree. No seasonings need to be added, because between the oil, and the natural flavor of the tomatoes, the tomatoes will produce their own flavor. By this time, your noodles should be ready, so drain the noodles but return them to the pot. The heat from the pot should allow the pesto sauce to melt into the noodles. I used about a tablespoon of the pesto sauce and mixed it throughout the noodles with a wooden spoon. Since I am not a huge fan of pesto sauce, I made sure not use it in excess. Once the pesto sauce is spread throughout the noodles, drain the tomatoes with the oil and seeds and spread evenly throughout the noodles. Depending upon when you choose to serve the dish, I would hold off on putting the mozzarella cheese until you're ready to serve it. But if you're making it to serve immediately, cut the mozzarella into small cubes, enough to serve as a garnish and spread evenly on top of the noodles. Lastly, drizzle with a teaspoon of oil for that authentic Italian flavor ( this is strictly optional). And, the recipe is completed!