Pasta alla Checca is a celebration of summer on a plate—juicy cherry tomatoes, fragrant basil, and creamy buffalo mozzarella come together in a symphony of fresh flavours. Tossed with al dente pasta and a touch of pecorino, this simple yet vibrant dish captures the heart of Mediterranean cuisine in every refreshing bite.

Ingredients

SERVES 4

300g Fusilli Liguori

500g Cherry tomatoes

2 Buffalo mozzarella

Pecorino cheese - as much as preferred

2 Garlic cloves

Basil leaves - as much as preferred

Extra virgin olive oil - EVOO

Salt and pepper - as much as require

PREPARATION:

  1. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and add them to a large bowl.
  2. Gently squeeze the tomatoes with a potato masher to get the juice out of them.
  3. Break basil leaves into small pieces and add them to the bowl.
  4. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper to the bowl and give everything a nice stir.
  5. Add a tablespoon of rock salt or sea salt to a pot of boiling water and boil the pasta according to package instructions. Make sure to give it a quick stir to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  6. Strain the pasta, let it cool, and drizzle some EVOO to prevent it from sticking together.
  7. Cut buffalo mozzarella and pecorino cheese into bite-sized cubes, add half of them to the tomato mixture, and mix everything until the tomatoes, the juices, and the cheese meld together.
  8. Add pasta to the bowl and quickly mix everything to let the pasta absorb all the juices.
  9. Add the rest of the cheeses with a finishing touch of basil. Serve and Enjoy!

Vincenzo's tip
Plump and juicy cherry tomatoes work best, thanks to their juicy texture; however, you can also use large tomatoes when cherry tomatoes aren’t handy.