Friday 17 May 2013

Pesto Pasta Salad

This is another tasty store cupboard pasta salad recipe, easy to make and adaptable to anything you have hanging around. It's easy to throw together in just a few minutes as well, as I had to do when I found out that the lunch I thought was being provided wasn't, and that I was going to be rather a long way from any shops! I think I made it in about 10 mins flat!

The salami that I used is from Grasmere Farm and is called Grasmere Grunta. It is absolutely delicous. Grasmere Farm is a traditional pig farm in Cambridgeshire and they make and sell as wide range of pork products. They've been going since I was a child and make the best pork and apple burgers and sausages. Their salami is also one of my favourite snacks and I always stock up when I'm round that way.
















Pesto Pasta Salad (from The Pioneer Woman Cooks)
(Serves 4)

240g dried pasta shapes
6 tbsp pesto
6 tbsp Parmesan, grated finely
6 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
6 tbsp low fat sour cream
2 tbsp milk, more for thinning
salt and pepper
1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
24 cherry or baby plum tomatoes, halved
24 green olives, halved
100g salami, chopped
110g cheese, cubed (could use cheddar or mozzarella whatever you have)
4 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
extra Parmesan for sprinkling

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Allow pasta to dry slightly, then toss in a bowl with 4 tablespoons pesto. (Add more if you want the pasta to be more coated). Add the Parmesan and toss. Cover and refrigerate the pasta until it is cold.

Make the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, sour cream, and milk with the rest of the pesto. Add salt and pepper, then taste and adjust seasonings as needed. The dressing needs to be  pourable in order to coat the lettuce and pasta later. Set the dressing aside.

To assemble the salads, make a bed of lettuce in a bowl, then add a generous layer of pesto-coated pasta. Add tomatoes, olives, salami and chunks of cheese. Spoon a good amount of dressing all over the top; it should be thin enough to seep down into the salad, not so thick it will stay on top of everything.

Sprinkle salads with pine nuts and a little extra Parmesan and serve.

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