Easy Summer Cooking: Pasta Caprese

Quite a while back, I promised my friend Heidi some simple and summery pasta recipes.  The task was certainly easy enough!  After all, my go-to hot weather dinner is often a combination of farmers' market finds and whatever pasta I have in the pantry.  (You should definitely try my mom's summer pasta salad or this greek orzo salad before the end of the summer, by the way!)

Unfortunately, I've been a little lazy with my posting and that promise of recipes was almost forgotten.  This evening, though, I realized that I had the makings of a very tasty and easy dish already on hand.  Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil- how could you possibly go wrong with a combination like this?  Throw it together, serve warm (maybe alongside some grilled chicken),  and you've got a perfect summer dinner!

Pasta Caprese

Ingredients:
16 ounces penne pasta
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely minced
12 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed
1/2 cup chiffonade of basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
-Bring a pot of water on to boil and cook pasta to al dente.  Drain and put pasta in a serving bowl.
-Toss halved grape tomatoes and vinegar together and set aside while preparing other ingredients.
-Heat olive oil in a saucepan.  Add minced shallots and saute over medium heat until softened, about 2 minutes.
-Add tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Continue cooking until tomatoes are softened, about 5 minutes.
-Remove from heat and pour tomato mixture over pasta.  Use a rubber spatula to scrape all of the juices out of the pot and into the serving dish.
-Fold in the fresh mozzarella cubes and plenty of basil.  Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
-Serve warm!