Tomato and Mozzarella Pesto Pasta Salad

The real estate market is strong this week. I showed 8 properties and closed on 1. The pipeline is strong. The phone rings with the steady rhythm of a business that has taken six years to build and refuses to slow down.

Sophia is studying with an intensity that would concern me if it were directed at anything other than science. She talked about it at dinner for twenty minutes and I understood approximately half of it but all of the joy behind it.

I thought about Baba this week. Not the grief — the grief is always there, a familiar companion now — but the man. The way he stood at the bakery counter with his arms crossed. The way he hummed Greek songs he never knew the words to. The way he loved us in silence, which was the loudest love I have ever known.

I made gemista — stuffed tomatoes and peppers, filled with herbed rice, baked until soft and fragrant. Summer in a baking dish. I served it with bread and olive oil — always too much olive oil, because in this family there is no such thing as too much. We ate and the conversation was easy and the evening was warm.

Sophia told me this week that she is proud of me. I was not expecting it. We were in the car, driving to Tarpon Springs for Sunday dinner, and she said Mom, I am proud of you. I said for what. She said for everything. For the bakery. For the houses. For making dinner every night even when you are tired. I gripped the steering wheel and blinked and said thank you, koritsi mou. She said do not cry. I did not cry. Much.

Gemista is the dish I reach for when I need to feel close to my Baba — but this week I wanted something that could travel easily to the table, something bright and a little abundant, the way that evening actually felt. This Tomato and Mozzarella Pesto Pasta Salad carries the same spirit: good olive oil, ripe tomatoes, fresh herbs, and no apology for the generosity of it. It is the kind of dish you set down in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves, which is exactly the kind of dinner we needed.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

12 oz rotini or penne pasta
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/3 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
Optional: drizzle of balsamic glaze to finish

Instructions

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse briefly under cool water to stop cooking, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Dress while warm. Immediately drizzle the drained pasta with the olive oil and red wine vinegar and toss to coat. This helps the pasta absorb flavor as it cools.
Add the pesto. Spoon the pesto over the pasta and toss until evenly coated. Taste and adjust — if it seems dry, add another tablespoon of olive oil or a small spoonful of pesto.
Fold in the tomatoes and mozzarella. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cubes. If using Kalamata olives, add them here. Fold gently so the mozzarella doesn’t break apart.
Season and rest. Add the salt and pepper, taste, and adjust. Let the salad rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving so the flavors come together.
Finish and serve. Scatter the torn fresh basil over the top. Drizzle with balsamic glaze if desired. Serve with good bread and, as always, more olive oil on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Tomato and Mozzarella Pesto Pasta Salad — The Table We Keep Setting