I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for this summer heat to be over; unfortunately I don’t think that is going to happen soon {big sigh}.  When it’s this hot we love keeping things simple for dinner.  This pasta salad is cool and light- combining roasted peppers {yum} and fresh mozzarella {another yum} and pine nuts {one of our favorites}.  Throw in some fresh basil from the garden and you get a delicious combination.  It’s simple to make and goes with most any grilled meat.  If you want to make it even more simple,  add some sliced sausage and you have dinner in a bowl!  Hope you stay cool!

Roasted Pepper Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

12 ounces mezzi rigatoni (or other tube-shaped pasta)
2 sweet bell peppers, halved, stemmed, and seeded
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/4 – 1/3 cup pine nuts (we like lots)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 fresh lemon
8 ounces bocconcini (small mozzarella balls- pearl size)
1 bunch fresh basil, leaves torn
fresh ground black pepper
kosher salt

Directions:

1.  Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Add the pasta nd cook as directed on the label.  Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.  Shake off the excess water.

2.  Place the bell peppers cut-side down on a  foil-lined broiler pan, add the garlic and broil until charred, 7-8 minutes.  Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover and set aside about 5 minutes.

3.  Squeeze the garlic from its skin onto a cutting board.  Add 1/2 teaspoon salt; mince and mash the garlic into a paste with a large knife.

4.  Slice the peppers into strips (you can peel them if you like, but I  leave the skin on).

5.  Place the pepper slices into a large bowl.  Add the garlic paste and drizzle with the olive oil.

6.  Finely grate about 1 teaspoon lemon zest into the bowl and squeeze in all the lemon juice.

7.  Add the bocconcini, basil, pine nuts, pasta, and salt and pepper to taste – toss gently.

Note:  Look for the bocconcini in the specialty cheese section.  The pearl-sized are usually harder to find (they do have it at Whole Foods)-  you can use larger balls or just cut fresh mozzarella as a substitute.

Don’t forget these other cool summer salads!

recipe adapted from Food Network