Pasta Gratin with Olives and Herbs

Ingredients

• 2 Garlic cloves
• Sea salt
• a handful basil
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 6 ripe tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 250 g Buffalo Mozzarella
• 400 g fusilli
• 3 tbsp pitted black olives
• Pepper (freshly ground)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 200°C with upper and lower heat. Peel the garlic, cut into large pieces, and place in a mortar. Sprinkle with a little salt and crush into a fine paste. Add basil and continue crushing until smooth. Stir in 4 tbsp olive oil.

2. 2.

   Wash the tomatoes, remove stems, and slice thinly. Wash the bell peppers, halve them, seed, and cut into thin strips. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and sauté the peppers for 5 minutes over medium heat. Drain the mozzarella and cube it. Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente. Drain, place in a bowl, and mix with the garlic-basil pesto. Add olives and pepper strips and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Line a round baking dish with tomato slices. Spread half the pasta over them and sprinkle with mozzarella cubes. Top with remaining pasta and more mozzarella. Bake in the hot oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Garnish with basil leaves and serve immediately.