Fill a large pot with salted water—not ocean-water salty, but salty enough that you taste it on your tongue—and bring it to a rolling boil. I typically use about 1 tablespoon of sea salt per quart of water because this is where your pasta actually gets seasoned, not at the end when it's too late. If the water tastes bland, your pasta will taste bland, full stop.
Add the penne pasta and cook it until al dente (about 9-11 minutes depending on your pasta brand). Here's my trick: bite into a noodle at the 8-minute mark—you want a slight firmness in the very center, not a chalky core, but also not soft throughout. That's the window where magic happens.
While the pasta cooks, whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. I confess I sometimes use a fork to whisk rather than dirtying an actual whisk—honestly, it works just fine and saves cleanup. Taste it immediately and adjust the lemon if needed because you're building the flavor foundation right now.
Drain the penne in a colander—do NOT rinse it, and do NOT add ice water. I've been tempted a thousand times, but the starchy coating helps the dressing cling. Immediately add the hot pasta to your olive oil mixture and toss for about 30 seconds. This is crucial: the warm pasta absorbs the flavors before everything cools down.
Let the pasta cool for 5 full minutes while it sits in that dressing. Patience here prevents the mozzarella from melting into a sad puddle. While you wait, cube your fresh mozzarella and halve your cherry tomatoes because prep work speeds everything up.
Add the mozzarella cubes, cherry tomatoes, and torn basil leaves to the cooled pasta. Gently fold everything together using a rubber spatula—this is not a time for aggressive stirring because you want the cheese pieces to stay distinct, not shred apart.
Top the entire dish with toasted pine nuts and grated Parmesan right before serving. I always toast my pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for exactly 2 minutes—any longer and they turn bitter, any shorter and they don't develop their nutty flavor.
