Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is a very versatile and fresh dish, perfect for summer days or as a meal to take to the office. Here is a basic recipe that you can customize according to your tastes and the ingredients you have on hand.

Ingredients

• 250 g short pasta (for example farfalle, fusilli or penne)
• 150 g cherry tomatoes
• 100 g mozzarella (or feta if you prefer)
• Pitted black olives (to taste)
• Fresh basil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice (optional)

Preparation

1. Cook the pasta in a pot of salted water following the package instructions to achieve al dente cooking. Once cooked, drain it and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it quickly.
2. Meanwhile, wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half or quarters, depending on their size.
3. Cut the mozzarella into cubes or, if using feta, crumble it.
4. Drain the black olives well and, if necessary, slice them into rounds or leave them whole, according to your preferences.
5. In a large bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta with the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, and fresh basil torn by hand.
6. Season everything with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. If you like, you can add a touch of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice to make the salad fresher and slightly tangy.
7. Mix all the ingredients well so that the flavors combine.

Before serving, let the pasta salad rest in the fridge for at least half an hour, so it will absorb more flavor.

For an all-Italian touch, you could add some drained oil-packed tuna, capers, or replace the black olives with Taggiasca olives. If you like intense flavors, you could add some Genovese pesto to dress the pasta.

Trivia

Pasta salad is a dish that lends itself to infinite regional variations in Italy; many also add ingredients like grated carrots, corn, arugula, or diced speck. The important thing is to maintain the balance of flavors and the freshness of the dish.