- 3 unpeeled garlic cloves
- 5 scallions
- 1 1/2 pounds medium to large tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more, for brushing
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 10 ounces penne or other short pasta
- Light a grill and preheat for at least 10 minutes or preheat a grill pan. Oil the grates. Meanwhile, soak 1 bamboo skewer for 10 minutes. Thread the garlic on the skewer.
- Brush the scallions and the cut sides of the tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill the garlic and scallions over high heat, turning frequently, until blistered in spots and softened, about 2 minutes. Grill the tomatoes cut side down until nicely charred, about 2 minutes. Flip and grill until the skin starts to shrink, about 1 minute.
- Peel the garlic and finely chop, then transfer to a large bowl. Thinly slice the scallions crosswise and transfer to the bowl. Pull off the tomato skins, dice the tomatoes and add them to the garlic and scallions.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain. Add the hot pasta, the cheese and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the tomatoes and toss. Add the pasta water, little by little, if you need to loosen the sauce.
- Season the pasta with salt and pepper and serve immediately.