In this post I will show you how to make caprese pasta in a very simple and quick way.
Caprese pasta is an ideal dish for warm days, since tomato and basil add a lot of freshness to this meal.
It can be prepared with any type of pasta you want, either fresh or dried, short or long. In my case I am going to use bucatini, which are like spaghetti but in tube form, although in other occasions I have also prepared this recipe with short pasta.
Caprese pasta is a typical dish of Italian cuisine. It has become one of the most popular dishes worldwide and is believed to have originated on the island of Capri, Italy. The original recipe included tomatoes, basil, mozzarella cheese and olive oil. It has become very popular in recent years and many variations of this recipe can be found, including variations with garlic, parsley and other ingredients.
Ingredients for 2 dishes
- 200 grams of dry pasta or 300 grams of fresh pasta
- 150 gr cherry tomatoes
- Fresh basil
- Mozzarella cheese
- Olive oil
- Coarse salt
How to make caprese pasta
- In a pot with boiling water we are going to put some coarse salt (approximately 10gr per liter of water).
- We are going to add the dry pasta that you like. I am going to use bucatini that I love. We add the amount we want inside the water and let it cook.
- We are going to finish the pasta with fresh tomatoes and basil. We have a handful of cherry tomatoes that I’m going to cut in half. Also basil leaves that I’m just going to chop into little pieces.
- Once the pasta is almost done we’re going to drain it and return it back to the pot.
- We add a cube of butter, stir, a drizzle of olive oil and now we go with the cherry tomatoes and basil. Add the whole pot and stir again to integrate the flavors.
- We let it cook for a few minutes until the pasta is ready, so that everything takes flavor.
- Now we have the dish ready, we decorate it with a basil leaf and we finish with a drizzle of olive oil on top.
- You can eat it like this or add mozzarella cheese and you have a spectacular caprese pasta, totally recommended.
With this quick and easy recipe you already learned how to cook caprese pasta, now you can dazzle your guests with this Mediterranean pasta meal that they will love.
Advantages of using fresh basil
Fresh basil and dried basil have a big difference in flavor and texture. Fresh basil is much more aromatic and has a more intense flavor, while dried basil is milder and lighter in flavor. Fresh basil is also crispier and juicier than dehydrated basil, which gives it a softer texture. This means that for the best flavor in a caprese pasta dish, it is best to use fresh basil.
