Active Time

　　20 MIN

　　Total Time

　　20 MIN

　　Grilling the tomatoes concentrates their flavor slightly while still leaving them fresh enough to make a light, juicy sauce. Studded with cubes of fresh mozzarella, this dish is a summery crowd-pleaser.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

　　3 unpeeled garlic cloves

　　5 scallions

　　1½ pounds medium to large tomatoes, halved

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more, for brushing

　　Kosher salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes

　　10 ounces penne or other short pasta

　　

Step 1

Light a grill and preheat for at least 10 minutes or preheat a grill pan. Oil the grates. Meanwhile, soak 1 bamboo skewer for 10 minutes. Thread the garlic on the skewer.

　　

Step 2

Brush the scallions and the cut sides of the tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 3

Grill the garlic and scallions over high heat, turning frequently, until blistered in spots and softened, about 2 minutes. Grill the tomatoes cut side down until nicely charred, about 2 minutes. Flip and grill until the skin starts to shrink, about 1 minute.

　　

Step 4

Peel the garlic and finely chop, then transfer to a large bowl. Thinly slice the scallions crosswise and transfer to the bowl. Pull off the tomato skins, dice the tomatoes and add them to the garlic and scallions.

　　

Step 5

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and drain. Add the hot pasta, the cheese and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the tomatoes and toss. Add the pasta water, little by little, if you need to loosen the sauce.

　　

Step 6

Season the pasta with salt and pepper and serve immediately.