This recipe comes from the September 2010 issue of the Food Network Magazine and yes, it is Joe Biden’s recipe but whatever your politics, this pasta is delicious!  🙂

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 shallot, minced

1 small clove garlic, minced (I pressed mine of course!)

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon sugar (optional)  (I included it because I was using store bought tomatoes but I bet if you make this with tomatoes from your garden, when you have them, you won’t need the sugar)

2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2″ pieces

1 pound pasta, such as campanelle, penne or fusilli

12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2″ pieces (I used shredded)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (my fresh basil plant reached the end of it’s life so I left this out)

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1  Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, shallot and garlic in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add sugar, if desired (depending on the sweetness of your tomatoes).  Add tomatoes and gently toss.  Marinate at room temperature, about 15 minutes.

2  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook as label directs.  Drain in colander and run under cold water to stop cooking.

3  Add pasta and mozzarella to tomato mixture and toss.  Stir in basil and lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate, tossing occasionally, until serving.