About the Recipe
Ingredients
1 box linguine (remember to look for healthier options, such as quinoa, brown rice, or other kind of gluten-free pasta)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
10 basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons
1/4 cup kalmata olives, halved
2 tablespoons olive brine
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-size pieces
salt and pepper
Preparation
Combine the olive oil and minced garlic in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Add the tomatoes, basil, olives, and olive brine. Stir to combine. Allow to stand for 30 minutes to one hour. This allows the flavors to mingle.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously. Add the linguine. Stir during the first few minutes of cooking to prevent the pasta from sticking. (Do not add oil to the pasta water.) Cook until tender.
Carefully ladle out about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the cooking pot. Add the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Toss to combine. You want the mozzarella to soften slightly. If the pasta seems dry, add a little of the pasta cooking water. Adjust as needed.
Taste. Add salt and pepper as needed. Serve.