In the summer, I love making Caprese with fresh-grown basil, and if you have tomatoes in your garden, it’s even better! I found this recipe online years ago, so I have no idea if it’s the same as Olive Garden’s caprese. Still, it tastes very similar and it is delicious! (And I may be bias, but I like it better than Olive Garden’s version!)
Mixing the tomato-basil mix ahead of time takes about 10 minutes. After marinating for several hours, the rest of the recipe only takes about 15 minutes!
1 1/2 lbs. roma tomatoes, cored & cut in 1″ pieces
20 medium fresh basil leaves, stems removed, and cin 1″ pieces
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. italian seasoning
salt to taste
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 lb. angel hair pasta
2 cups mozzarrella cheese
1. Combine tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic, italian seasoning, & salt in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly. Cover, set aside, and marinate 1 hour to all day.
2. Cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain & return to pan to keep warm.
3. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add butter and melt. Stir in white wine and bring just to a boil. Add heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer. Let sauce continue simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Add cooked pasta and tomato-basil mixture to skillet. Stir.
5. Add mozzarrella. Either stir and allow to melt, or place in oven (as long as the skillet is oven-proof) and broil until cheese is melted.
I grill shrimp and chicken with this dish. When I’m making the tomato-basil mixture, I season chicken and shrimp (in separate bowls) with salt, pepper, & italian seasoning. I add minced garlic and white wine and marinate while the tomato-basil mix is marinating. This is something my father-in-law taught me several years ago, and it’s a delicious complement to this dish. Then when I start making the caprese, we grill the chicken and shrimp.
This is one of my very favorite meals!