Creamy rotelle with basil yogurt and mozzarella
Instructions:
- PASTA:
- Fine sea salt;
- ¾ pound whole wheat rotelle, fusilli, or other short-cut whole grain pasta.
- BASIL YOGURT:
- 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek-style yogurt;
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt;
- 2 cloves garlic, minced;
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil;
- 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar;
- 1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh hot green chile such as Serrano;
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt;
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper;
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes;
- ¾ cup loosely packed chopped fresh basil leaves.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt as you see fit and then the pasta, stirring a few times. Return to a boil with the lid on; uncover and cook at a gentle boil until the pasta is al dente, according to the package directions.
- While the water is coming to a boil, make the basil yogurt. Combine both kinds of yogurt, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and the vinegar, chile, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the mozzarella and ½ cup of the basil leaves. Taste for salt, pepper, and vinegar and adjust. Set aside for the flavors to meld while the pasta is cooking.
- To finish, drain the pasta, briefly rinse under cold water, and return to the pot or to a large serving bowl. Pour the basil yogurt over the pasta and toss to combine. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and garnish with the remaining ¼ cup basil. Serve at once.
- TO LIGHTEN IT UP: You can replace both kinds of yogurt with lowfat varieties (do not use nonfat), but these can be a bit more tangy, so start by adding only 1 tablespoon of vinegar and adjust if needed.