Strawberry Caprese Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound dry pasta (I used farfalle)
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella, diced
• 1/2 cup loosely packed torn fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic glaze (I used DeLallo, but see instructions below for a homemade alternative)

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the pasta from cooking.

Toss the pasta with the strawberries, mozzarella and basil. Pour half of the pasta into a serving bowl, and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Then pour the remaining half of the pasta on top, and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Sprinkle with extra basil if desired. Also, if the pasta seems to dry, you can toss it with a tablespoon of olive oil.

*To make balsamic glaze homemade, whisk together 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced by half. Give it a taste. If you think it needs sweetening, stir in a few teaspoons of sugar or honey.