We’re Making Courteney Cox’s Pasta alla Checca for Dinner (and So Should You)

We love scrolling Courteney Cox’s Instagram for Friends throwbacks and behind-the-scenes peeks into her home life. But after trying her mind-blowingly simple baked chicken and gluten-free biscotti, her recipes are what keep us coming back for more. Next on our to-cook list? Her pasta alla checca, an easy weeknight dinner that you’ll want to make over and over (and over) again. Read on for the full recipe.

Pasta alla checca is an Italian dish starring a raw tomato and basil sauce. The fresh produce’s natural flavors get to shine through since the sauce is uncooked. The recipe also calls for usual suspects like olive oil, salt and pepper, plus fresh mozzarella cheese. Cox’s take on the dish, which she learned on an airplane, uses a ton of garlic as well. We’d bookmark this dish now to make for your first alfresco party of summer 2022 if we were you.

(Note: Cox’s recipe doesn’t specify any measurements, so feel free to adjust based on the portion size you’re cooking or the ingredients you have on hand.)

Ingredients

• Roma or cherry tomatoes
• Lots of fresh basil, chopped or torn
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Olive oil
• Lots of fresh garlic, sliced
• Penne pasta
• Buffalo mozzarella in water, diced
• Freshly grated Parmigiana cheese

Step 1: Chop the tomatoes (remove the seeds if you want) and put them in a large bowl. Add the basil, salt and pepper and cover the bowl to let it marinate.

Step 2: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and brown it in the oil. Turn off the heat and reserve.

Step 3: Cook the pasta according to package instructions. When it’s done, drain the pasta and add it to the tomato mixture.

Step 4: Add the diced mozzarella cheese and garlic olive oil. Finish the pasta with Parmigiana cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Feel free to add crushed red pepper flakes for heat if desired.