Pesto Pasta Salad
This pesto pasta salad is a fabulous way of anticipating warm weather, picnics and poolside brunches. It's big on flavor and easy to pack.
Ingredients
- 200 grams dry pasta fusilli, fusillotti, penne, ziti or any type
- salt to cook the pasta
- ½ cup pasta cooking water
- 1 cup basil pesto 1 to ½cups of basil pesto
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce any
- ½ cup Kalamata olives
- ⅓ cup feta cheese
- fresh mozzarella balls
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese or Parmesan
Herb Dressing
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- ½ cup fresh basil roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon vegetable spice
- ½ teaspoon garlic and herb seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked
- 4 garlic cloves 2 to 4 cloves, to your taste
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta until just passed the al dente stage which should be an extra minute or two after the required packet instructions. Reserve about a ½ to 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Make the herb dressing: Add all the herb sauce ingredients; parsley, basil, veg spice, garlic & herb spice, garlic cloves, sundried tomatoes, salt to taste and black pepper to a food processor and start processing while pouring the olive oil in through the nozzle. Stop and scrape the sides, process one more time and done. It will be textured not smooth.
- Assemble the pasta salad: Pour the herb dressing into a large bowl and add the hot sauce, followed by the cooked and drained pasta. Use a spatula to fold them together. Add the basil pesto and a splash of pasta water. Toss until the ingredients are all coated. Then add the olives, fresh mozzarella balls (or bocconcini), and feta cheese, toss again.
- Serve: Taste the pasta salad and adjust seasoning and the pasta water to keep it light and create a bit of juices. Olive oil for flavor and a squeeze of fresh lemon to awaken it but that's optional. Serve cold as a side dish or mains with shaved parmesan or pecorino cheese. Remember that as it sits, the flavors get better.
Notes
Storing
Preferably don't rush to put it in the fridge because it will lose that flexibility that the pasta water gives so if you know you're going to use it the next day, save that pasta water! It makes the best leftover pesto pasta brunch! The fats will have solidified and absorbed into the pasta so hold onto that pasta water. If all else fails, a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and your pesto pasta is back to life:)
Basil Pesto Recipe
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