Pasta a la CDG

I first had this pasta in Dallas. My friend C's mom had this fantastic pasta recipe, and I'm told it became the birthday dinner of choice for quite a few people. When I go there I often make dinner one night for my friends C and B, and whoever else happens to be there. We sit, drink beers and wine, and hang out eating something tasty. It makes for a fun evening for sure. When I ate this pasta for the first time, it was actually on a request. I couldn't decide what to make for dinner, and my friend B told me, "you should make C's mom's pasta; I love that dish.". Not one to turn down a challenge, I told C to get the recipe from her mom and I would make the dish for dinner.

Man, I should never doubt my friends. This *was* a fantastic recipe. Simple, great tasting, and it just made me feel like summer (I think it was the basil). I hadn't made it in quite awhile, though. It seemed a little depressing to take that dish out of Texas and eat it up here in the northeast. (*Sidenote: I swear, Dallas peeps, I'm coming back. Soon. Very very soon.)

Tomorrow, I'm running in my first 5K. Ever. The idea both excites and petrifies me. I'm running with two of my friends, and all three of us are notching our first 5K. The slight problem with running this is actually not so much the running (I've been trying to increase my distance for awhile, and did make it 4 and a half miles last weekend, and I know my friends have run that distance or more as well) but the fact that Boston and surrounding areas are currently in a nor'easter at the moment, not to let up until tomorrow afternoon. Awesome. So not only will I be running my first 5K race ever, but I'll do it in pouring rain and whipping wind. YES. To try to alleviate my anxieties about doing this, I decided tonight was a good time to bring out C's mom's pasta recipe, since, y'know, I heard something about carb-loading the night before a race and all. I made it with a bit of chicken, had a friend over, and we hung out, relaxed, and watched a movie. Exactly what I needed tonight.





The pasta's easy. The thing that takes the longest is cutting a pound of the cherry tomatoes in half. I'm not sure why it took me well over a year and a half to make this again. Eating it reminds me that summer's coming soon (it's the basil, I swear!) and it reminds me of and makes me homesick for my favorite city besides the one I'm currently in. It just makes me feel good.



Thanks, C (and C's mom). This is one recipe I love, and I can't wait to make it again when I'm back down in Big D. Or, better yet, maybe I'll be able to have the original version from C's mom!

Pasta a la CDG (original origins of recipe are unknown-recipe received from Jane Gard)

1 lb. cherry tomatoes, cut in half
4 cloves of garlic, whole
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt (make sure it is sea salt and not regular table salt-the sea salt works much better)
pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 lb. bocconcini mozzarella balls
1 lb. pasta (I used whole wheat spirals)

Combine the tomatoes, garlic cloves, olive oil, sea salt and crushed red pepper in a bowl. Marinate the mixture for roughly 1/2 hour at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Prepare the pasta per package directions. Drain.
After sauce has finished marinating, remove the garlic and throw away. Put in 10 basil leaves (I ripped them into smaller pieces to make for easier eating) and then combine the pasta and the sauce together.
Cut up the mozzarella and add to the pasta mixture and stir together gently. Serve.