Caprese Pasta

I. love. pasta. I will eat almost any kind of pasta and as much as I love  sauce, I do also try to find pasta recipes that don't require sauce (to save calories, really) and I found a recipe for One-Pot Caprese Pasta.  Anything caprese is usually a win in my book and fresh basil is amazingggg! Just ask Nala...she tried to eat the basil plant.

Ingredients you'll need:
2 1/4 cup water
1.5 tbsp olive oil
8 oz bow-tie pasta
1/2 of a clamshell of grape tomatoes, sliced
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil (about 8-10 leaves, depending on their size)
1.5 tsp minced garlic
Handful of baby spinach (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

First, add all the ingredients into one pot (water, olive oil, pasta, tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt and pepper, spinach if you want) except for the mozzarella cheese. I added a handful of baby spinach for some extra nutrition but the original recipe I found doesn't call for it and it's not necessary. I only used about 1/4 cup of spinach but I think I'll use more next time.

Cook over high heat until boiling. The garlic and the  basil made the house smell absolutely heavenly. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir occasionally while cooking for another 11-12 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and water is reduced.

Remove from heat and let stand for a couple minutes.  Stir in mozzarella cheese until thoroughly combined. Feel free to garnish with some extra basil and a little extra cheese. Serve (and eat!) immediately.

I didn't want to stop eating this dish, it was THAT good. I'm bringing the leftovers to work tomorrow for lunch. Until next time, Fire Away!