Ziti with sun-dry tomatoes & mozzarella

Giada De Laurentiis is a TV chef in America, the art direction and camera work of her show are top-notch, so as her family background, none of these is what I like about her though, rather, is her way to bring out an ultimate flavor of food by using the most basic ingredients and simple cooking. Speaking of which, I still remember one of her dessert: sprinkling sugar on fresh ricotta cheese, yup, that's all! Pretty much having the most delicate, flawless and ceramic skin, you really have no heart to put any make up on! This pasta dish is also from her show, however, I have a habit of not putting the sound on, I just did it my own way with her choice of ingredients: toss cooked pasta with sun-dry tomatoes and mozzarella. Tell you, the taste is arrestingly delicious as long as you use the best quality of mozzarella. I'm not talking about those plastic tubs that found at supermarket, I got mine from Italian grocers. One owner, in fact, makes the cheese every hour. But the best I got is from another grocer though, melt-in-the-mouth is the word I can think of now!

About the choice of pasta, tube shape is used this time which still, there are various options, like ziti and penne. I prefer the former one (without groves) as the texture is more delicate, really pairing well with this cheese.

Recipe (yield 2 servings as the first course)

• Ziti
• 10 pieces sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 big slice of best quality mozzarella, about 1.5 - 2 cm thick.
• 3 cloves of garlic, diced
• fresh basil leaves
• Best quality of extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

• Bring a big pot of water to boil. When the water starts getting hot, I put the sun-dried tomatoes in so as to blanch them at the same time. You can separate the process if you like, blanch tomatoes about 7 minutes or slightly soften.
• Add sea salt in boiling water, cooking Ziti.
• Cut the mozzarella to little cubes. Slice the tomatoes. Set them aside.
• Two or three minutes before zite is done, heat a skillet, drizzle generous amount of e.v. olive oil, saute garlic and tomatoes over very low heat for about 2 minutes. Use a big slotted spoon to fish out ziti (as I don't want to drain the pasta too dry) and place them into the same pan, add more salt, toss. Last second add mozzarella cubes for a quick toss, I just need them coated with garlic oil but not heated/ melted.
• Put the pasta on warm plate, add basil leaves and more e.v. olive oil (as needed) to serve.

This post is my contribution to Ruth's Presto Pasta Night. Please hop over to her site to check for details, or the round-up this Friday!

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