Rigatoni Carprese- Sara

RIGATONI CAPRESE-Sara

• Whisk together
  • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (may need more)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper (fresh ground is best)
  • 1-4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1/3 c. parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup fresh basil, finely chopped 
• Toss with:
• 1 pkg hot cooked rigatoni, penne or farfalla pasta
• Aprox. 4 cups diced plum tomatoes (or grape tomatoes) 
• Handful of baby spinach, sliced
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 4-8 oz. sliced mushrooms
• ½ cup real bacon bits-optional
• 1-2 grilled chicken breasts (diced)-optional
• 1-2 cups small shrimp-optional
• May be served hot or cold.  This is a favorite!
• **If you are looking to make this faster, you can use pesto sauce instead of the sauce you whisk together.  You have to kind of fiddle with this one to get the sauce amount you like.  I often use pesto with added ground pepper and parmesan and perhaps a little extra olive oil.