Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe

“Potato or pasta salads are tasty and healthy, as are pumpkin fritters, potato cakes and corn on the cob.”

— Jackie Cameron

Yields: about 400 - 500 ml

Ingredients:

70 g Fresh Basil
100 g Pine Nuts or Pine Kernels (chef's note : Flaked Almonds can be substituted as a more reasonable alternative and they taste as delicious!)
60 g Butter (chef's note : gives the Pesto a thicker consistency)
250 ml Olive Oil
25 g Garlic
100 g finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino
Salt and Pepper

Method:

Place basil, butter, olive oil, garlic and grated parmesan into a liquidiser
Roast and slightly cool the pine nuts (chef's note: roast nuts just before adding to the other ingredients to ensure a fresh roasted flavour)
Add the nuts to the liquidiser and liquidise until the correct desired consistency is reached
250ml (115gr) Penne Pasta, uncooked
Drizzle of olive oil
60ml Basil Pesto
20gr Sundried Tomatoes, soaked in boiling water, cut into strips
150gr Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
15gr Fresh Basil shredded in pieces
15ml Pine Nuts, roasted
70gr Mozzarella Cheese, cut in little cubes
Fresh Basil and Freshly Grinded Black Pepper to garnish

Method:

Fill a large pot with water and salt (chef's note : work on an average that for every 100 g of pasta use 1 litre of water. Pasta loves salt (10 g salt per 100 g pasta) so don't be scared to add)
When water is boiling add pasta and stir to prevent pasta sticking
Cook until al dente (firm to the bite)
When the pasta is cooked, spoon the pasta out of the water with a slotted spoon into a colander. (chef's note : to prevent the starch sticking to the pasta and making the pasta quills stick to each other)
Put the pasta under cold water
Drizzle olive oil and basil pesto over the pasta for flavour (chef's note : I always add pesto or freshly cut herbs to pasta to enhance the flavour)
Finish with all the other ingredients

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below. I look forward to hearing from you.