Caprese Pasta

1. Preheat oven to 400*.

2. Put the tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil in a large non-reactive baking dish. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

3. Roast the tomatoes in the oven for around 45 minutes. It could be more or less depending on the size of the tomatoes and how crowded the dish is. Roast them until they are brown and split open. If the garlic looks like it is going to burn, remove it from the pan.

4. When the tomatoes look like they are about 10-15 minutes away from being done, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water, and rinse in cool water to stop the pasta from cooking.

5. While the pasta cooks, thinly slice the basil (also called a chiffonade) and cube the mozzarella into small pieces.

6. When the tomatoes are done, take the garlic out of the pan, chop it up, and put it back in the pan.

Add the pasta to the pan, and toss it with the tomatoes.

Add additional pasta water as needed – you want to get as much of the good stuff off the pan as possible.

7. Once the tomatoes and pasta are mixed, add the basil, mozzarella, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix again.

8. Wait a few minutes for the mozzarella to melt a bit, and then enjoy!