Pasta Salad - Italian beach vibes

This is for the ones who love making up their own version of recipes.

The Pasta Salad is the most loved Italian summer dish.

Today, we will make an easy, fresh and flavourful version with homemade pesto, tomatoes, olives, and rocket.

It is naturally plant-based, and it will give you lots of energy to play on the beach!

Pasta Salad / Pasta Fredda with casarecce, pesto, olives, and tomatoes

Is Pasta Salad really traditional?

The short answer is "maybe". It depends on how far in time it needs to go for you to call it "traditional". Just like most Italian dishes, Pasta Fredda (as we call it) is born after the economic boom of the '60s as a "svuotafrigo" (literally, to empty the fridge): a simple meal made out of leftovers. But then the '80s came, and Micheline star chefs started giving their interpretation of the Pasta Salad. Eggs, cheese, tuna, even caviar: everything was allowed! The only rule was that all ingredients needed to be cut in small cubes. I am not joking, it was a thing! This is why I love this pasta: go crazy, but make it squared!

Rocket

This recipe makes 4 portions of Pasta Fredda/Pasta Salad.

This recipe is fully vegan. Want to explore other Italian recipes? Check our fresh pasta workshops!

INGREDIENTS:

• 100 g fresh rocket

• 50 gr of nuts (best if a combination of walnuts and cashews)

• 1 clove of garlic

• 20 gr olive oil

• 20 gr nutritional yeast (optional), you can find it at AH and Jumbo, it looks like this

• salt and pepper to taste
  

For the topping:

• 20 gr of fresh rocket

• a handful of olives (I recommend Taggiasca)

• 5 sundried tomatoes in oil

For the pasta:

• 400 gr (100 gr per person)

  
  

+ Macchè tip

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THE RECIPE:

1. Make the pesto Wash the rocket and dry it with a cloth. Every time you blend, you should use the pulse mode, or simply turn the blender on and off. So your pesto will have the right colour. First, blend the nuts until they turn in crumbs, then add the garlic and the yeast (optional). Finally, blend the rocket and add oil, salt and pepper.

   
   

2. Cook the pasta

   Fill a large pot with water and bring it to boil. Once ready, add salt and let it melt. Finally, drop the pasta and cook it for the amount of time indicated on the box.

   
   

3. Drain and season When the pasta is cooked, save a glass of cooking water and then drain the pasta. In a bowl, combine the pasta with the pesto adding a couple of spoons of cooking water and olive oil. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste. [ALERT: Season the pasta immediately with the pesto, otherwise it will become soggy and sad]

   
   

4. Make it shine Cut the olives and the sundried tomatoes in cubes, if you like (inside joke for the ones who read the story in the intro :)). Add them to the Pasta Salad for a great seasoning. Serve your pasta with rocket on top and add a drizzle of olive oil!

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MACCHÈ TIPS:

Which pasta works best with Pasta Fredda? Well, you now Italians are picky when it comes to pasta shapes. There are 3 great options: casarecce (the sauce goest right through them), farfalle or bowties (the most classic for Pasta Fredda) and, the odd one out, gnocchi!

Beach day - Italy