New apartment, who dis?

This past weekend, I moved into my first solo apartment. That's right, ya girl is finally living on her own like the adult she's trying to be. So I thought, what better way to christen the new digs than making a delicious pasta dish to go with some great wine?

Today we're making a take on a Ricatoni's classic: Tagliarini Piace Pellerossa. I promise it's not as complicated as it sounds. Ricatoni's is a local Italian restaurant here in Florence, and this dish is my go-to order. It's light and filling and refreshing and oh so tasty, meaning it's perfect for these hot Alabama evenings. And it's super simple to make, but we'll get into that in a minute.

First, let's talk wine. This week's wine is brought to you by none other than Publix. I know I promised to shop other places, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? As I was browsing the wine section at my local Publix, daydreaming of my delicious pasta, I noticed an Italian rosé. Typically, I shy away from rosés south of France, but at this price, I decided to take a shot.

VOGA Italia Rosa

Price: $11.49

Varietals: Merlot, Indigenous Veneto Varietals

Region: Veneto, Italy

Vintage: 2016

Retailer: Publix

The thing that sold me on buying this wine--other than the price--was its color. Anything this shade of pink has to have something good going on. The opening aromas are soft berries, like catching a whiff of a strawberry patch nearby. VOGA is juicy yet soft with hints of herbs like basil and rosemary on the finish. The flavor on this bad boy is so subtle and tasty that it would pair with any number of veggies dishes, but especially today's recipe. And it's all because of those little herby notes in the background.

Along with our pasta dish, I made this avocado bruschetta by Yummy Mummy Kitchen. Let me tell you, this stuff is to die for. I think I'm gonna start making it like twice a week for the rest of my life. It's that good. And it makes a great side dish for our tagliarini, and it pairs really well with the wine.

So after all the hype, let's get into the recipe!

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Refreshing Tomato Basil Pasta

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min

INGREDIENTS

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 plum or roma tomatoes, chopped into large cubes

1 tbsp olive oil

4 leaves fresh basil, roughly chopped

1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, chopped into chunks

pinch of salt

Half a box of pasta of choice, I used this one

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium sized pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2. Sauté the minced garlic until it becomes fragrant and begins to brown a little.

3. While the minced garlic is sautéing, boil the water for your pasta according to the directions.

4. Once garlic begins to brown, add the tomato cubes and basil. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until tomatoes begin to burst.

5. Add the white balsamic vinegar and garlic chunks. Continue to stir as the juices of the tomatoes reduce.

6. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining your pasta. While draining pasta, add pasta water to the sauce and stir as it continues to reduce and thicken.

7. Once sauce has thickened, add the pasta to the pan of sauce and toss to coat.

8. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh basil and serve with a cold glass of VOGA Rosa!

Salud et bon appetit, mes amis!