Author Notes
This is the best and only pasta salad, you will ever need in your life. We can shake on it if you’d like? Here’s why: it literally combines everything you need in a dish, in texture, flavour, colour, nutritional balance and indulgence. Even Masterchef would be impressed. So simple, packed with flavour, born from the simple desire to eat all our favourite things. And whaddya know, perfect leftover-pasta-bestover-recipe (how's that for a tongue-twister): my mum’s Mediterranean Pasta Salad. —chloë | nibs etc.
Ingredients
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1/2 cup
Cooked Pasta (bite sized such as Penne, Fusili, Orrecchiette)
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6
Cherry Tomatoes
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1/2
Avocado
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3-4
Sundried Tomatoes
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1-2
Carciofini
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3
Thin Slices Feta
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2
Thin Strips Bacon
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1 tablespoon
Plain Yoghurt
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1 tablespoon
Sundried Tomato Oil
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1 teaspoon
(heaped) Pesto (Genovese fro Barilla is my favourite, but homemade would also be perfect!)
Directions
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Bring the pasta to room temperature (to speed up the process pour about a cup of boiling water over the cold pasta, in a pot, and drain. If using freshly cooked pasta, then ignore this step and allow to cool while you prep the rest of the ingredients).
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Pan fry your bacon on medium-low heat until crispy. Remove from the pan and pat dry using a paper towl. Set aside.
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Pan fry your bacon on medium-low heat until crispy. Remove from the pan and pat dry using a paper towl. Set aside.
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Next, crumble your cooled crispy strips of bacon and slices of feta (more, or less to taste) into your bowl.
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To make the sauce, stir together the yoghurt and pesto until smooth, then whisk in the oil until fully incorporated (it will veer slightly on the oily side, much like a salad dressing, so don’t stress too much about its appearance, rest assured it will all come together in the salad).
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Pour the dressing over the salad just prior to serving, toss until well coated in sauce, and serve.
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Consume:
Substitute Feta with your favourite crumbly cheese: ricotta salata, parmigiano.
Other vegetables to add in/substitute with: raw courgette/zucchini, blanched asparagus, red pepper/capsicum, celery.
For an entirely vegetarian option, top with a handful of salted, toasted seeds (such as a pumpkin, sunflower and linseed mix).
Toss in a handful of fresh rocket or spinach for extra greens, and or for fun.
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