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Vegetarian, Italy

Pasta alla checca

Pasta alla checca is an Italian dish of farfalle tossed with a raw sauce of tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, and basil, serving 4 in 20 minutes. It's very easy and costs about €2.00 per person, and the key is letting the tomatoes marinate while the pasta cooks so they release their juices. The heat of the pasta is enough to bring everything together with no sauce cooking at all.

When it's hot out, I suggest pasta alla checca, a raw tomato and mozzarella sauce with no cooking at all.

Pasta alla checca
Total time
20 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.00
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer
The kids
They generally like it

Pasta alla checca plays on the contrast between warm farfalle and raw tomatoes marinated in oil and garlic. The mozzarella barely softens from the heat, basil adds a clean fragrance, and skipping any sauce cooking keeps the taste of summer vegetables front and center.

This is the dish for nights when it's too hot to turn on the oven or stand over a pot. Kids love the melty mozzarella and simple pasta, while adults enjoy the tomato juices perfumed with garlic and oregano. It's an effortless weeknight dinner that works just as well for two as it does for friends on a summer evening.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Farfalleoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Dried oreganooften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Ripe tomatoes 600 g
  • Fresh basil 1 sprigs
  • Garlic 1 cloves

Dairy

  • Mozzarella 250 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the tomatoes into cubes and mix them with the oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and one crushed garlic clove. 10 min

    Remove the garlic before serving, it will have flavored the marinade.

  2. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and finely chop the basil.

    Drain the mozzarella well on paper towels.

  3. Cook the farfalle in boiling salted water. 10 min

    Rinse them only briefly, they should stay warm.

  4. Pour the drained pasta over the tomato marinade.

    The heat of the pasta warms the tomatoes without cooking them.

  5. Add the mozzarella and basil, toss gently, and serve right away.

    Add the mozzarella last so it doesn't fully melt.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick ripe, flavorful tomatoes since their juice makes the whole sauce, bland tomatoes give you a bland dish.
  • Cut the tomatoes and mozzarella into similar sized cubes so every bite of pasta picks up a bit of both.
  • Salt the tomatoes a touch more than usual when marinating, the salt helps draw out the juice that coats the pasta.

The variations

  • Swap the farfalle for penne or fusilli, any short pasta works well with this cold sauce.
  • For a milder version for kids, skip the garlic in the marinade and cut the oregano in half.
  • To save time, use halved cherry tomatoes instead of ripe tomatoes, they release their juice even faster.

What to serve it with

  • A simple green salad with olive oil
  • Crusty bread for soaking up juices
  • A cold glass of lemon water

Storage

Pasta alla checca is best eaten right away, while the pasta is still warm and the mozzarella is soft. If needed, keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 day, the mozzarella texture fades quickly. This dish doesn't freeze well.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the tomato marinade ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the tomato, garlic, and oil marinade up to 2 hours before cooking the pasta, it only gets more flavorful. Keep it at room temperature rather than in the fridge so the tomatoes don't turn cold.

What kind of mozzarella works best here?

Regular cow's milk mozzarella works well, just drain it so its water doesn't make the pasta soggy. A firmer block style mozzarella holds its cube shape better than a very creamy ball.

Do you really need to remove the garlic from the marinade?

It's not required, but a whole crushed raw garlic clove has a sharp bite that can surprise you if you bite into it. If you love strong garlic, leave it in, otherwise remove it before serving.

Can you use whole wheat or gluten free pasta?

Yes, whole wheat or gluten free farfalle both work well with this raw sauce. Just check the cook time on the package, it's often a minute or two different from regular pasta.

How long does it take to make a pasta alla checca?

Count 20 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a pasta alla checca?

About 680 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pasta alla checca cost?

About €2.00 per serving, or €8.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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