Mezzi Paccheri pasta with mozzarella and tomato sauce
first courses- 12 oz pasta
- 6 oz fresh buffalo mozzarella
- 18 oz pomodoro pelato di Napoli (Naples peeled plump tomatoes)
- 6 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
- 1 garlic clove
- Fresh basil
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Put 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the garlic clove and whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped, in a saucepan, add a pinch of salt, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the garlic clove.
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling, salted water and drain al dente.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Put the pasta in a bowl and dress it with the sauce, add plenty of fresh basil roughly torn and a little grated parmesan, and mix well. Put half the pasta into a lightly- oiled oven dish, add a few slices of mozzarella, then add the rest of the pasta, the mozzarella and remaining parmesan.
Put the dish in the oven at 400°F for a few minutes just to melt the mozzarella.
Serve the pasta very hot, with a few leaves of fresh basil and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.