Summer Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Salami, + Arugula

      I've said it before, but some of my all-time favorite recipes come from Southern Living magazine, particularly their summer issues.  This is another favorite that I tweaked the instructions for just slightly, but overall kept the ingredients pretty much the same.  The simple balsamic and olive oil penne pasta base is so light, flavorful, and perfect for summer.  It also allows the dish to be able to be served both hot or cold, and makes it compatible with a variety of different ingredients if you want to switch it up!  This is a great "clean out your fridge" pasta as you can customize it as you want with any kind of cold cuts, Italian cheese, and roasted vegetables.  I do love all the different textures the mozzarella, salami, tomatoes, and arugula add to this pasta and none of the ingredients are too strong or overpowering for the dish.   Overall this is a super delicious light summer pasta, as well as easy- you can whip up in less than 30 minutes!  You can find all the ingredients and instructions listed for you below!  

xoxo

Emily

adapted from this recipe from Southern Living

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 lb. penne pasta
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 8 ounces salami, sliced and chopped 
• 1 cup arugula 
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Chop all your cherry tomatoes in half, then toss in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper.

3. Stir until tomatoes are coated, then spread onto a baking sheet or roasting pan and cook in the oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until tomatoes start to burst.  Remove from oven and set aside.

4. While the tomatoes are cooking, you can cook you pasta according to label instructions, drain, and set aside.

5.  In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the remaining olive oil, then add the balsamic, basil, and roasted tomatoes. Toss to combine and coat the pasta.

6. Spread pasta mixture out onto a platter then add the salami, arugula, and mozzarella across the top of the pasta. (If you aren't serving on a platter, you can also just add the salami, arugula, and mozzarella into your large mixing bowl and stir to combine).

7. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. Serve this dish hot or cold!