Tomato Mozzarella Pesto Pasta Salad
Steamed chicken with basil pesto and pine nuts being the ultimate favorite for my brown bag lunches, I usually keep handy~sometimes storebought, mostly homemade~ a pint or so of pesto sauce in my refrigerator. I am simply in love with the heady, aromatic mingling of hard cheese, garlic, fresh herbs and nuts with olive oil on and over anything! So imagine my delight when I discovered this pesto pasta salad amongst fruit cups, sandwiches and sushi at our neighborhood Fresh and Easy market on my yesterday’s trip~another way to savor my pesto! I bought the other necessary ingredients, drove home, doved straight to the kitchen, tossed together this inspiration and had a sensational lunch in minutes. Easy and delicious!
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients
16 oz uncooked penne pasta
1 cup pesto sauce (recipe follows)
1 cup boconccini (small fresh mozzarella balls marinated in olive oil)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup fresh baby spinach
Procedure
Prepare pasta according to package directions until al dente. Rinse in cold water and drain.
Toss cooked pasta with prepared pesto sauce. Cool pasta mixture. Divide fresh baby spinach on serving plates. Arrange pesto pasta mixture on top. Garnish with fresh mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes.
Pesto Sauce
2 cups of fresh basil leaves
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 tbsps Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
3 gloves garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp kosher salt
In a food processor or blender, combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and half of olive oil. Process steadily until mixture turns into a grainy paste, while adding the rest of the olive oil in a thin, continuous stream. Remove to a container. Gently fold in grated cheese. Add more olive oil if sauce is too thick.
Pasta Recipes in The CooKMobile Archive:
Spaghetti with Creme Fraiche and Smoked Salmon
Tomatoes and Mascarpone over Angel Hair Pasta
More Good Food!
What a gorgeous salad. My family would love this and it looks so refreshing for this time of year!