Garganelli Pasta and Tomato Sauce with Fresh Mozzarella and Arugula-Orange Salad

Ingredients

• Penne Pasta

  Ragu

  4 ⁹⁄₁₆ cup or 340g

• Tomatoes

  Whole, canned

  ½ cup or 121g

• Mozzarella cheese

  Part skim milk

  8 oz or 227g

• Arugula

  Raw

  5 cup or 100g

• Garlic

  Raw

  4 clove or 12g

• Oranges

  Raw, navels

  2 fruit (2-7/8" dia) or 280g

• Onions

  Raw

  1 medium (2-1/2" dia) or 110g

• Parsley

  Raw

  23 ¹¹⁄₁₆ tbsp or 90g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  3 tbsp or 41g

• Butter

  Unsalted

  2 tbsp or 28g

• Vinegar

  Cider

  ⅛ cup or 30g

• Parmesan cheese

  Low sodium

  ⅓ cup, grated or 33g

Directions

1. Prepare the ingredients: Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Peel and mince the garlic. Peel and dice the onion. Place the tomatoes in a bowl; gently break apart with your hands. Pick the parsley leaves off the stems; discard the stems and roughly chop the leaves. Tear the mozzarella cheese into bite-sized pieces. Cut off and discard the tops and bottoms of the oranges so they sit flat on the cutting board. Cut off and discard the orange rinds and piths; halve the oranges, then thinly slice.
2. Make the sauce: In a large, high-sided pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the garlic and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the tomatoes. Simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking the tomatoes apart with a spoon, 12 to 14 minutes, or until the liquid is slightly reduced in volume. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Make the vinaigrette: While the sauce simmers, combine the vinegar and a pinch of the Parmesan cheese in a bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until well combined.
4. Cook the pasta: While the sauce continues to simmer, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until just shy of al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, thoroughly drain the cooked pasta.
5. Finish the pasta: Add the cooked pasta and half the pasta cooking water to the pan of sauce. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pasta is thoroughly coated. If the sauce seems dry, gradually add the remaining pasta cooking water to achieve your desired consistency. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, half the parsley and half the mozzarella cheese. Stir until thoroughly combined; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish.
6. Make the salad and serve your dish: Just before serving, in a large bowl, combine the arugula and oranges; season with salt and pepper. Add enough of the vinaigrette to coat the salad (you may have extra vinaigrette). Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish the finished pasta with the remaining Parmesan cheese, parsley, and mozzarella cheese. Enjoy!

Similar Foods

• Couscous Salad with Shrimp and Mint
• Pasta with Tomatoes and Mozzarella
• Flank Steak Salad with Chimichurri Dressing
• Steamed Striped Bass with Ginger and Scallions
• Eggplant Tartines with Hummus and Arugula
• Linguine with Red, Yellow, and Orange Tomatoes