“Caprese” Pasta with Burrata – Basil-Walnut Pesto over Pappardelle

Have you tried burrata? They carry it at my local Trader Joe’s and it is becoming more and more readily available. Imagine a beautiful ball of fresh mozzarella. What could be better, right? Now imagine that little ball injected with cream. Oh baby. When you slice it open, the thick cream oozes out creating a delicious culinary experience. I grabbed some burrata, some fresh basil, and some pappardelle (because, hello, what a fun pasta!) and headed home to make a caprese pasta. I knew my sauce would be a pesto. Traditionally, pesto is made with pine nuts, but have you priced them lately? Ouch! I had walnuts on hand so I subbed those in for a wallet friendly pesto. The burrata is treat enough for this dish. I don’t want to totally break the bank! Toss on some beautiful, fresh tomatoes, and since I’m a California girl I gotta make it California-style and add a little sliced avocado. This pasta ended up being quite the treat. The cold, creamy cheese with the hot pasta was an absolute delight. Splurge a little, live a little, right?

Time To Make It: 15 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

16 oz pappardelle pasta

2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup walnuts

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced (optional)

12 oz. burrata cheese

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, make the basil-walnut pesto by combining the basil, garlic, parmesan, olive oil, and walnuts in a food processor. Blend until somewhat smooth.

3. Pour the pesto over the cooked and drained pasta. Top with diced tomatoes, avocado slices (optional), and a ball of burrata cheese. Serve immediately. 

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