MOZZARELLA BASIL TOMATO PASTA SALAD RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat large saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add spaghetti and cook as label directs.
• Meanwhile, reserve 12 small basil leaves for garnish. From remaining basil, remove enough leaves to equal 2 cups firmly packed. In food processor with knife blade attached, process basil leaves, garlic, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until pureed, stopping processor and scraping bowl occasionally. Add Parmesan; pulse to combine. Set pesto aside.
• In bowl, mix tomatoes, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Gently stir in mozzarella.
• Drain spaghetti, reserving 1/2 cup spaghetti cooking water. Return spaghetti and reserved cooking water to saucepot; add pesto and toss well to coat pasta. Spoon spaghetti mixture into large shallow bowl; top with tomato-mozzarella salad. Garnish with reserved basil leaves.

Steps:

• Place one oven rack on the top level and one on the bottom. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Coat the bottom of a 12" (30-cm) Cast Iron Skillet with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of oil. Spread the pizza dough into the bottom of the pan, pressing it into the edge. Fold over extra dough to create a lip. Use a fork to pierce the bottom and edges of the crust; brush with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of oil and sprinkle with 1 tsp (5 mL) of Italian seasoning. Toss the tomatoes with garlic powder and the remaining oil and Italian seasoning. Place in a single layer on a large sheet pan. Place the skillet with the crust on the bottom rack and sheet pan with the tomatoes on the top. Bake until the crust has browned and the tomatoes have softened, 17–20 minutes. If the crust bubbles, press it down with a spatula, carefully, in case steam is released.To make the whipped basil mozzarella, add all the ingredients to a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Let the crust cool for about 5 minutes, then spread the whipped basil mozzarella over the inside of the crust. Top with the tomatoes.When ready to serve, drizzle with lemon juice, top with additional basil, if you’d like, and cut into wedges.