The Absolute Perfect Summer Pasta

Delicious.

Peter Som

Peter Som is an award-winning fashion designer, culinary creator and lifestyle expert. His work has appeared in publications like Bon Appétit, and he's designed clothes for women like Michelle Obama.

July 3, 2024 1:56 pm

Friend of Wondercade, lifestyle and culinary expert designer Peter Som, is back again with a tasty tomato-packed pasta…bring it on a picnic, serve it out a cookout, gorge on it alone in front of the air conditioner…the world’s your oyster! And here’s your new go-to pasta recipe. Take it away, Peter.

Making this dish has become an annual tradition each summer with friends in Provincetown where the days are spent with sand between our toes and the gentle Cape Cold breeze gently tousling our salty hair. We stay in little cabins on a wharf with just the essentials in the kitchen. So not only does this pasta dish not use the oven, it barely uses any equipment at all—a cutting board, a knife and a pot to boil the pasta—that’s it! There’s nothing I look more forward to after a sun-kissed day than making this dish (with a glass of rose in one hand). It’s a simple family-style dish that uses a few summer ingredients—tomatoes (cherry tomatoes here—but feel free to use any tomatoes that are firm but ripe), mozzarella, a shower of basil and a gentle hint of garlic (the clove is rubbed on the interior of the bowl for just a kiss of garlic—don’t worry you’ll still be kissable!). Served room temperature or warm (or the day after—the leftovers are delish!)—this dish is summer personified—it almost demands it be eaten while wearing a swimsuit and watching the sunset.

Vacation Cherry Tomato Pasta

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

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Ingredients

2 pints cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1½ tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
1 lb. dry short pasta
1 lb. fresh mozzarella, cut or torn into bite sized pieces
¼ cup parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tsp. lemon zest, plus more for finishing
1 cup basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish
1 large garlic clove, cut in half
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

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1. 1. Add cherry tomatoes to a small bowl and season with ½ to 1 tsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add oregano and olive oil and mix to combine. Let sit for 10-15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
2. 2. In a large pot of well-salted water, cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. When pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain the pasta, then return the pasta to the pot. Add tomatoes (and any liquid), to the pot along with pasta water, mozzarella, parmesan and lemon zest. Mix to combine. Just before serving, stir in basil leaves.
3. 3. Rub the cut side of the garlic along the interior of a shallow serving bowl. Add pasta to serving bowl, finish with more parmesan and lemon zest and serve warm or at room temperature.