I have an addictive personality...

I get hooked on things easily. It usually happens with food or cocktails, like I'll decide that vodka and guava juice is the most amazing thing that has ever touched my lips, and then drink nothing but that for the next 3 months. Most recently I got hooked on Caprese salads.

Like I eat no less than one a day, and have yet to get sick of it. Luckily for me, no one else at my house shares my affinity for this delicious treat, so I get to have big balls (thats what she said) of fresh mozzarella all to myself. Last night I was trying to decide what to fix for dinner, when really all I wanted was to have a huge plate of tomatoes and mozzarella, and then suddenly Giada came to my rescue. Her recipe for Fusilli alla Caprese was the answer to feeding my addiction and my family at the same time!!

Fusilli alla Caprese

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fusilli pasta (I used whole wheat rotini)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 pints)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve. Serves 4-6.