So one of my all-time favorite things to do is to cook for other people. Shocker, I know. We love to have people over for dinner and I really don’t mind spending the evening prepping tasty dinners while sipping drinks and chatting with guests. That said, things can get a little hectic with small people running around, so I try to keep it simple. This checca sauce is perfect for guests.
Last weekend we had a couple families over and I served this with grilled ribeyes, Caesar salad and some fresh bread. Piece of cake and all I had to do was boil water and toss the salad. I used orecchiette because I think a small shape is easier for guests to eat, but use your favorite.
So what is checca sauce? It’s not your old-fashioned spaghetti and meatballs sauce. Basically you stick summer in a food processor, add cheese and tee-da! Checca sauce. Fresh tomatoes, basil, scallions and garlic whizzed up with some Parmesan and olive oil. Throw in some chunks of mozzarella and it is simply delicious. This is definitely a frequent visitor in our house when tomatoes are at their peak and I’m bringing home pints of them every week in my CSA. Serve it on its own or with some grilled meat, sausage or seafood. Great for hot nights when you don’t want to turn on the stove.
- 1 pint ripe grape or cherry tomatoes
- 2 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cubed
- 1 pound orecchiette, or pasta of your choice
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Cut the tomatoes in half and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the scallions, garlic, cheese, basil and oil and pulse until it becomes a coarse mixture.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss well to coat. Sprinkle the chunks of mozzarella over the top and serve immediately.
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