fileja alla crudaiola
fileja with tomatoes and mozzarella
Perfect for summer but also an easy pasta for any time of the year, Alla Crudaiola (crew-die-yoller), literally 'raw style' combines just a few main ingredients to create a stunningly memorable dish.
The secret, of course, is to use the very best ingredients you can. The sweetest and most flavoursome vine tomatoes, the freshest mozzarella. For tomatoes, explore local farmers' markets or independent grocers in your area. Try growing your own tomatoes! Pasta wise, I've used Astorino Fileja from Fratelli Camisa - where you can also order mozzarella and pecorino and some fantastic olive oils.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO DO
(scroll down for the full method)
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chop the tomatoes and mozzarella
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boil the pasta
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allow to cool until luke warm
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combine and serve or chill
fileja with tomatoes and mozzarella
FOR FOUR PEOPLE
INGREDIENTS
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2 mozarella balls
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2 large vine tomatoes
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basil, EVO, pecorino, black pepper
PASTA
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400g dry fileja
MANTECATURA
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none
METHOD
You can choose to serve this as a chilled pasta salad, or (and this is my favourite way) as a room temperature / lukewarm dish.
Begin by boiling the pasta. As it boils, chop or tear the mozzarella into small pieces. Chop the tomatoes too and pick a handful of basil leaves.
If your tomatoes are particularly juicy, consider draining away some of the seeds and tomato juice and putting it aside. You can then decide later whether or not to add it to the combined pasta and other ingredients.
There's no finishing the pasta in cooking water for this dish - it's light and summery and full of flavour.
When the pasta's cooked to your liking (the softer side of 'al dente' is what I prefer, as it will tend to firm up a bit as it cools), drain it and immediately add a light drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVO).
(NB If you add the mozzarella immediately to hot pasta you run the risk of it melting and clumping together in one big ball!)
Allow the pasta to cool to lukewarm and then add the tomatoes and mozzarella, a sprinkle of pecorino, and then toss to combine.
Plate with basil, more cheese and oil to taste together with either black or cayenne pepper.