Late summer – what a great time of year! We finally get to reap the rewards of all our hard work in the vegetable garden. While I try growing some veggies here and there in my small yard, my “regulars” are tomatoes and herbs. (And oh, what you can make with those ingredients!)
Bright homegrown tomatoes give pasta salad color, while spicy red pepper flakes give it a kick!
Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho
Get your kids involved in preparing your pesto – they’ll be more likely to try it.
Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho
A food processor makes mixing easier, but a blender will do in a pinch.
Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho
Dig in to this homegrown treat for your tastebuds.
Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho
One of my favorite cooking tricks is to whip up a batch of pesto, because I can use it in so many ways. My kids love pasta, so that’s an easy pleaser: I simply mix the noodles and pesto together, and voilà: pesto pasta salad! It’s great for side at a summer BBQ, or you can add some cooked chicken or cured meats and make it a one-dish meal.
Here’s a simple pesto recipe, but feel free to mix it up to change it for your personal tastes. (For fastest results, use a food processor.)
Pesto Sauce
- 2 cups of basil leaves, washed
- 2-3 cloves of garlic (depending on your taste)
- About ¼-½ cup of extra-virgin olive oil
- 3-4 Tbsp. of roasted pine nuts
- ¼-1/3 cup of freshly shredded parmesan cheese (For best results, try reggiano parmesan.)
- Salt to taste
First, I heat the pine nuts in a skillet to release the oils and give them a nice toasty flavor. While they’re toasting (it doesn’t take long for them to roast – just a few minutes), I add a handful of basil leaves to the food processor and turn it on, one handful at a time. I’ll drop in one clove of garlic at a time, too, as well as a swizzle of oil. I repeat this until the basil’s all in and chopped.
Next, I add in the pine nuts and whirl them around until they’re finely ground. Finally, I add the freshly shredded cheese and mix it up again. (Before I add too much oil, I check the consistency. I like my pesto rich, but not too oily.) Taste it to see how you like it, and add a little salt for flavor if you like. That’s all there is to it! Simple, easy, and tasty.
The pasta-salad part of the recipe changes, depending on what you’ve got in your garden and pantry. Of course, you’ll need a box of pasta. My favorite to use for cold pasta salads is radiatorre. The curves just hold onto flavor, but just about any pasta will work. Simply cook up the pasta and rinse it off in cold water until it’s cold enough. Then transfer it to a bowl to mix in with the other ingredients after you’ve gathered them.
In addition to pasta, you’ll need tomatoes ripe from the garden. I typically use about three medium-size ones and cube them. And don’t forget the cheese. (I love cheese.) Just about any straight-forward, mild white cheese will work. The easiest thing to do is to take a couple of sticks of string cheese (mozzarella) and slice them into little circles.
I also like onions in my pasta salad. Sometimes I use chives from my herb garden, but other times I’ll use a sweet Vidalia or red onion. It’s your pasta salad, so it’s your call. Add as much as you like. Finally, for the “heat,” add a few shakes of red pepper flakes. I like it spicy, so I add in a few extra shakes. Then look for some other Italian treats in your cupboard. I like black olives and artichoke hearts, but I’ll use whatever’s handy. If I have leftover pine nuts, I’ll toss those in, too, for a little crunch.
Once all of your ingredients are assembled, simply mix them up in the bowl. Then add the pesto. Use enough to give the salad a green sheen, then try it, adding more pesto if you’d like. Shake in some salt and pepper, too, for flavor – or a smidge of garlic salt. Then chill until ready to eat. (Cover the salad tightly so it doesn’t dry out.)
This is an easy and flexible recipe that works with what’s probably already in your pantry. Bring it to your next BBQ or family function – everyone will be amazed at your homemade spicy pesto pasta salad – and it won’t spoil in the heat like a mayo-based one can. It’s simply a great-tasting way to use some vegetables and herbs from your garden!
