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Pasta alla checca.

Pasta alla Checca Recipe (Easiest Roman Pasta Ever)

Allie Hagerty
Experience the magic of pasta alla checca: a no-cook summer delight with fresh ingredients and bold flavors.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Time to Marinate 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Pasta
Servings 2 servings

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Large serving bowl
  • Tongs or pasta spoon
  • Fine grater or microplane
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons
  • Small knife and cutting board

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces pasta spaghetti, angel hair, or short pasta like fusilli
  • 3 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large garlic clove finely minced or grated
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 6 ounces fresh mozzarella torn
  • ¾ cup fresh basil leaves torn
  • 1½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar optional
  • Zest of 1 lemon optional

Instructions
 

Marinate the tomatoes

  • In a large serving bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Give everything a gentle toss and let the mixture sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This gives the flavors time to come together and makes the base of your uncooked sauce.

Boil the pasta

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Cook your pasta according to package directions until just al dente. Before draining, scoop out about ¾ cup of pasta water and set it aside.

Combine the pasta and sauce

  • Add the hot pasta straight into the bowl with the marinated tomato mixture. Use tongs or a spoon to toss it together, letting the heat gently warm the sauce. Add a splash or two of pasta water as needed to help it all come together.

Add the mozzarella and basil

  • Fold in the torn mozzarella and fresh basil. Drizzle in the balsamic vinegar and add the lemon zest, if using. Toss everything once more—gently—and taste for seasoning.

Serve

  • Plate the pasta and finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a few more basil leaves if you’d like. Enjoy right away, or let it sit for a few minutes to soak up even more flavor.

Notes

Let the tomato mixture sit – A full 30 minutes makes a real difference. The salt pulls out the juices, and you get that rich uncooked tomato sauce.
Don’t rinse your pasta – The starch on the noodles helps the checca sauce cling.
Use room temperature cheese – Cold mozzarella won't melt into the pasta the way fresh mozzarella should.
Add pasta water slowly – A splash at a time gives you more control over the texture of the sauce.

 

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 724kcalCarbohydrates: 97gProtein: 36gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 1450mgPotassium: 850mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2365IUVitamin C: 53mgCalcium: 498mgIron: 4mg
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