Caprese Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound small shaped pasta, such as orecchiette, farfalle, or campanelle
• 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 8 ounces mozzarella, torn
• 10 large fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with water, bring it up to a boil, and stir in 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Add the pasta and cook it by the package directions, stopping when it is al dente. You want a little bite here, because pasta that goes too far will fall to pieces once you start tossing everything together.
2. In a large serving bowl, combine the oil, minced garlic, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, stirring until the mixture is evenly blended.
3. Once the pasta is ready, pour it into a colander and give the colander a few taps so the extra water shakes off. Transfer the pasta to the bowl with the olive oil mixture, then stir until the pasta is coated.
4. As the pasta cools, cut the mozzarella into rounds, then pull those rounds into smaller, irregular pieces, roughly in the nickel-to-quarter size range. If the pasta is still a little warm, that is fine, just toss it a bit before the cheese goes in. Add the torn mozzarella to the pasta. Halve the tomatoes and tear the basil leaves, adding them to the bowl as you work.
5. Stir everything briefly so the olive oil coats the pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Serve it cold, warm, or at room temperature.