Bucatini with fresh cherry tomatoes, stracciatella and basil

(serves 4)

• 11 + 1/4 oz of bucatini pasta (320 g)

• 1 + 3/4 lbs of fresh cherry or date tomatoes (800 g)

• 8 + 3/4 oz of stracciatella cheese (250 g)

• Fresh basil leaves, to taste

• 2 garlic cloves

• Olive oil, to taste

• Salt, to taste

• Pepper, to taste

• Water, as needed

• In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic cloves and sauté until golden, then remove them from the pan.

• Add the fresh tomatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a few basil leaves. Stir and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, adding a bit of water if needed, until the tomatoes soften and release their juices.

• Transfer the cooked tomatoes and their sauce to a blender. Blend until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve to remove skins and seeds. Return the smooth sauce to the pan.

• Cook the bucatini in boiling salted water until al dente.

• In a blender, combine half of the stracciatella with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until you get a smooth cream. Set aside.

• Add the drained bucatini to the tomato sauce and mix well. Add some reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.

• On each plate, spread a spoonful of stracciatella cream as a base. Place the bucatini with tomato sauce on top. Garnish with the remaining stracciatella, fresh basil leaves, a sprinkle of pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.