It may not feel exactly like summer yet, but here’s a Summer Pasta Salad from Maggie Beer to get you in the mood. Maggie says she loves the natural ‘saucing’ that occurs with the tomatoes, garlic, basil and EVOO reaching room temperature.
Serves 4
1 kg vine ripened tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
½ cup torn basil leaves
1 teaspoon salt flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
400g penne pasta
Core the tomatoes and cut them into large chunks.
Mince the garlic cloves.
Toss tomato, garlic, basil, salt, sugar and 125ml of EVOO and season with pepper.
Allow to sit at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and drizzle with the remainder of EVOO (which prevents it from sticking together) and allow to cool to room temperature.
Toss the tomato mixture with the pasta, add seasoning as required and serve.
For some optional extras, Maggie suggests finely diced red onion, olives, crumbled feta, fresh ricotta or anchovy fillets.
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