I don’t have a name for this dish.  It’s something my sister and I came up with years ago when we saw something similar on some cooking show.

This started out as simply something to satisfy our cravings for spaghetti on a hot summer afternoon.  We didn’t want to get the kitchen all hot and muggier than it already was so we looked at what we had and made this.

For this particular dish, I had fresh mozarella, a chunk of Romano cheese, some roma tomatoes and a box of whole wheat spaghetti.

You start by chopping the tomatoes.  You can poach, skin and de-seed them before chopping…then again, that’s up to you.  Transfer to a bowl, add some extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, some Italian seasoning.  The essential ingredient is the mozarella, which you dice and mix with the tomatoes.  Grate some hard cheese into the mix to give it another layer of flavor. We would  use queso de bola for this purpose.  I used Romano this time…same effect, not as salty as the de bola. Then you can throw in a finely minced garlic clove.

I like this with black olives, but I ran out and made do with green olives.  Sometimes, I’m in the mood for some capers too, but not this time. After the ensemble is all put together,  I let it sit in the refrigerator for half an hour to an hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Then I take it out and prepare the noodles according to package directions.  This spaghetti I used was from Ronzoni’s Healthy Harvest line, it’s Whole Wheat Blend Pasta.  It’s supposed to be healthier..but it’s not the same as regular semolina spaghetti.  This has a gritty texture that I honestly felt did not go with the sauce/dressing.

Soon as the pasta is done, transfer it directly from the pot to the bowl of sauce using some tongs.  Mix and watch how nicely the mozarella melts and melds with the tomatoes, noodles and everything else….mmmm…

 

Italian Comfort Food: Intensive Eating from Fresco by Scotto Restaurant
Italian Comfort Food: Intensive Eating from Fresco by Scotto Restaurant