Showing posts with label cold_pasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cold_pasta. Show all posts

Pasta salad with grilled halloumi & asparagus

For ➍
500 g penne
400 g halloumi cheese
250 g cherry tomatoes
500 g white asparagus
6 spring onions, sliced finely
80 g rucola
a bunch of basil
50 g sun-dried tomatoes
pepper & coarse salt
tomated cold sauce:
10 cl yogurt
100 g Parmigiano cheese, grated
2 eggs
1 clove of garlic, peeled
juice of ½ lemon
40 g tomato paste
1 tbs (sharp ) mustard
1.5 dl peanut oil
a dash of Worcester sauce
few drops of Tabasco
salt

Bring a large quantity of water to a boil in a large pot. Add a pinch of salt.
Cook the penne al dente. [Read tip]. Drain. Plunge in a colander and cool under running cold water.
Put the pasta in a large mixing bowl.
Peel the asparagus. Remove ends.
Fill a pot with enough cold water and add a pinch of salt.
Place the asparagus in cold water. Heat the pot over medium heat and bring the water up to boiling point. When the water bubbles, put the fire out. Keep the asparagus in the warm water for 5-10 m. [Or use microwave].
Drain the vegetables to drain on a clean cloth or paper towel. set aside.
Separate the eggs and put the yolks in a tall mixing cup. Discard the egg whites.  Add a little spicy mustard, and a  clove of garlic.
Add the lemon juice and a tiny splash of water.
Blend the ingredients with a mixer. Trickle the oil in until you are left with a hefty amount of bound mayonnaise.
Add the yogurt and mix. Add the tomato puree, with a dash of English and a few drops of Tabasco sauce. Add the Parmigiano and mix.
Spoon some of the dressing over the cold pasta and mix to cover all pasta.
Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Add the finely diced onion and tomato wedges into the bowl with pasta and sauce.
Cut the drained sun-dried tomatoes into thin strips.
Rinse the rucola and basilicum.  Sprinkle the torn basil and sun-dried tomato pieces on top of the pasta salad. Add some pepper from the mill and some coarse salt.
Mix the pasta salad and put them in a large serving bowl.
Drizzle a little olive oil over the asparagus.
Cut the solid halloumi into slices about 1 cm wide. Move the asparagus and halloumi to the hot  BBQ grill of grill pan. Turn the slices of halloumi after 1 m. Remove the asparagus when they have some colour.

Cut the grilled asparagus in 3-4equal pieces. Divide the grilled halloumi into bite-sized chunks.
Arrange the pieces of grilled cheese and asparagus pieces on top of the pasta salad and serve immediately. Put the rest of the sauce on the table.

Pasta all'ammiraglio (tomato pasta salad)

For ➍-➏
500 g ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded & chopped (in the winter you can used drained canned tomatoes)
2 tbs salted or pickled capers, rinsed
5 leaves coarsely torn basil (or to taste)
olive oil (about 5 cl, or to taste)
salt & pepper to taste
500 g penne or other short thick-walled pasta

Cook the pasta until until al dente in lightly salted water, drain it, and cool it by running cold water over the colander.
While you are cooking the pasta, combine the other ingredients, check seasoning, and chill them in a bowl.

When the pasta has cooled, mix it into the sauce. Serve with a rosato wine.
*Add pitted black olives as well.
**Make it a full meal by adding 250 g shredded mozzarella.
Read tip on cooking pasta for a cold salad.
Read more cold pasta salad recipes.

Herbed tomato pasta salad

For ➍
1 kg cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 ts sugar
2 handfuls of mixed chopped fresh herbs (basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley)
1 lb campanelle (bell-shaped pasta)
5 garlic cloves, chopped
15 cl extra-virgin olive oil
ricotta salata cheese, grated

Stir together tomatoes, sugar, and herbs in a large bowl until combined well. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, then drain. Add hot pasta to tomato mixture.
Cook garlic in olive oil in a saucepan over moderately high heat, stirring, 1 m.
Add garlic with oil to pasta and tomatoes and toss to combine.

Season with salt and pepper.
Read tip on cooking pasta for a cold salad.
Read more cold pasta salad recipes.

Antipasti pasta salad

For ➏
1 or 2 tbs red wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
4 tbs olive oil
500 g rotini or other small ridged pasta, freshly cooked to tender, rinsed under cold water, & drained
1 jar marinated artichokes, drained & chopped
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained & cut into 0.5 cm thick strips (or freshly roasted peppers)
250 g mozzarella, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
250 g thinly sliced sweet soppressata or salami, cut into 2.5 cm pieces*
100 g brine-cured black olives, pitted & chopped
a handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Whisk together red wine vinegar and olive oil in a large bowl.Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve at room temperature.

*Use 300 g Italian sausage, cut in 1,5 cm cubes before braisng slowly in basil scented olive oil for 8 m. They will form bite-size pearls. Let it cool and remove skin before adding.
Read tip on cooking pasta for a cold salad.
Read more cold pasta salad recipes.