It’s tomato season!! They’re ripe and fresh off the vine in every market. Plum tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, grape tomatoes…you name it. So off to Graul’s I go to get a pound of local tomatoes in a variety of colors. I’m going to mix my favorite Caprese Salad with a little pasta to create a satisfying lunch on board Night Town.

Caprese Tomato Salad

3 large or 4 medium ripe tomatoes
1/2 lb cooked, cooled pasta
2/3 cup + chopped fresh mozzarella
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 tablespoon EVOO
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1+ teaspoon sea salt
Minced fresh cayenne pepper, if desired

Cook your pasta in salted water until al dente. Don’t over cook; you’ll want the pasta to be firm. Drain and shock by running cold water through it. Stir in the EVOO and set aside to cool. Today I laid it on top of the beer in the icebox.

While the pasta cools chop up the tomatoes into nice large chunks. Sprinkle a little sugar on them, gently stir. Add a generous amount of sea salt and gently blend again.

Dice the mozzarella and chop the fresh basil.

Stir all the ingredients into the pasta and sprinkle in the white balsamic vinegar. Blend well. Adjust seasonings with additional salt if needed. Enjoy this cool and refreshing salad for lunch on a hot summer afternoon!

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Caprese Pasta Salad

Turn your Caprese Salad into a fulfilling meal.

Servings: 4 people

Author: GalleyPirate

Ingredients

• 3-4 large ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 lb Pasta noodles
• 2/3+ cup fresh mozzarella, diced
• 1/2 cup Fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 1 tbsp White balsamic vinegar
• 1+ tsp Sugar
• 2 tsp Sea salt
• Fresh Cayenne peppers, minced (optional)

Instructions

• Cook your pasta in salted water until al dente. Don't over cook; you'll want to pasta to be firm. Drain and shock by running cold water through it. Stir in the EVOO and set aside to cool. 
• While the pasta cools chop up the tomatoes in nice large chunks. Sprinkle a sugar on them, gently stir. Add a generous amount of sea salt and gently blend again.
• Dice the mozzarella and chop the fresh basil.
• Stir all the ingredients into the pasta and sprinkle in the white balsamic vinegar. Blend well. Adjust seasonings with additional salt if needed.

Notes