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Epicurious

Pasta with Grilled Tomato and Scallion Sauce

By Kristin Donnelly

2.5

(2)

Photo of Pasta with Grilled Tomato and Scallion Sauce on a plate and in a bowl.
photo by Tara Donne

Grilling the tomatoes concentrates their flavor slightly while still leaving them fresh enough to make a light, juicy sauce. Studded with cubes of fresh mozzarella, this dish is a summery crowd-pleaser.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    20 MIN

  • Yield

    Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

3 unpeeled garlic cloves
5 scallions
1½ pounds medium to large tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more, for brushing
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes
10 ounces penne or other short pasta

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Light a grill and preheat for at least 10 minutes or preheat a grill pan. Oil the grates. Meanwhile, soak 1 bamboo skewer for 10 minutes. Thread the garlic on the skewer.

    Step 2

    Brush the scallions and the cut sides of the tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

    Step 3

    Grill the garlic and scallions over high heat, turning frequently, until blistered in spots and softened, about 2 minutes. Grill the tomatoes cut side down until nicely charred, about 2 minutes. Flip and grill until the skin starts to shrink, about 1 minute.

    Step 4

    Peel the garlic and finely chop, then transfer to a large bowl. Thinly slice the scallions crosswise and transfer to the bowl. Pull off the tomato skins, dice the tomatoes and add them to the garlic and scallions.

    Step 5

    Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and drain. Add the hot pasta, the cheese and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the tomatoes and toss. Add the pasta water, little by little, if you need to loosen the sauce.

    Step 6

    Season the pasta with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

TagsPastaPenneItalianEuropeanScallionOnionRoot VegetableVegetableTomatoMozzarellaCheeseDairyMainLunchDinnerVegetarianNut FreeQuickEasyWeeknight Meals5 Ingredients or Fewer30 Minutes or LessGrillingSummerEpicurious

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