This pasta salad with tomatoes, garlic, and goat stracchinato is not your usual pasta salad.
First of all, because the pasta is different from the usual pasta, and then because I seasoned it, besides with tomatoes and garlic, which is nothing unusual, with a goat cheese, the stracchinato to be precise, which I bought and ate for the first time today. So, two new things in the same dish.
The pasta: it’s fusilli with barley flour, which look like regular fusilli, maybe just a little bit darker but not much, like semi-whole grain pasta, but with the particularity of containing a percentage of barley flour. They were a gift from my friend and colleague Nadia of the blog Cuoca per passione, a gift that truly delighted me, a real surprise to receive that package! And I love trying new products and flavors!
This pasta is really good, the aroma during cooking is reminiscent of whole grain pasta but then it’s more delicate in taste, and seasoned as I did… mmmh I’m really satisfied with my lunch! 😀
And the goat stracchinato? This is also new to me. I bought it from a store of the Solidarity Purchase Groups, a group I joined in the past for a long time but had to leave for logistical reasons, and today’s visit made up for the regret I sometimes have for certain quality products that are not easy to find in daily shopping. This stracchinato is a raw goat’s milk cheese, with a velvety bloomy rind (similar to that of brie-type cheeses, I’ll show you a photo in the method).
It’s a creamy cheese that melts upon contact with hot pasta, and… mmmmh it’s super delicious. With this barley pasta, it’s just the right cheese, but I’m sure it would also be excellent on warm crostini or bruschetta. 🙂
But okay, I’ll think about bruschetta another time… today it’s the turn of a nice barley pasta salad with tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and goat stracchinato.
Are you ready for the recipe?
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- Fusilli with barley flour
- Organic ripe tomatoes
- Goat stracchinato
- Garlic
- Oregano (or other herbs to taste)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Chili pepper (optional)
Tools
- Pot
- Salad Bowl
Steps
I didn’t specify the weight of the ingredients because I cooked by eye. For me, the beauty of summer cold pasta is its ‘variability.’ And if it contains one more or less tomato, or thyme or mint instead of oregano, it doesn’t matter. Do we like it? Good, then it’s fine that way 😀
The procedure is as simple as can be, really within everyone’s reach, even for those who have never cooked in their life. I’ll write it here, but I know you already know it intuitively:
– while the pasta is already cooking, wash and cut the tomatoes into pieces, place them in a salad bowl;
– peel the garlic and remove the central sprout, chop the garlic more or less finely, as you like;
– season the tomatoes with a drizzle of oil, the garlic, and oregano (and the chili pepper if you choose to use it);
– when the pasta is cooked, drain it and pour it while still hot into the salad bowl, mix and adjust oil if necessary;
– at this point, add the stracchinato cut into pieces: if the pasta is still hot, the cheese will partially melt.
If you prefer the cheese to stay in more intact pieces, just wait a few minutes to let the pasta cool down a bit, or even cool completely.
Variations:
If you are vegan, it won’t be a sacrifice to leave out the cheese, and I assure you this barley pasta is excellent also seasoned just with fresh tomatoes and garlic (garlic is a must, it has its purpose 😊).
But for us cheese lovers… well, this stracchinato deserves a taste. It can obviously be replaced with another goat cheese or any soft cheese with an edible velvety rind, or, changing genre, with feta or classic mozzarella, maybe buffalo.
Of course, each cheese has its own flavor and different consistency, which will necessarily give a different imprint to the dish, but I’m sure it will be excellent in any case. Pasta salads with fresh tomatoes are the summer staple in my house, and all possible variations will surely make it to my table during the summer!
And now… Enjoy your meal!
Salt-Free Tips
Salt-Free Tips: keeping in mind my usual advice, which is to gradually eliminate salt from the pasta cooking water (give it a try! You’ll discover it’s much easier than it seems!), to season pasta salads you need very little: if tomatoes are of quality, you’re already halfway there 😋 and then aromatic herbs and chopped garlic should not be missing.
I hope you like garlic because it really adds so much flavor. Also, if you like it, don’t forget a pinch of chili pepper, which stimulates the taste buds by ‘simulating’ a more intense flavor and helping you in this quest for the authentic taste of foods.
Come on, try my salt-free tips!
If you’re interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
■ Reduce salt gradually, the palate needs to get used to it gradually and should not notice the progressive reduction.
■ Use spices. Chili pepper, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
■ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
■ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
■ Use spicy vegetables or fruits. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
■ Use my salt-free vegetable granule
■ Prefer fresh foods.
■ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (griddle, package, steam, microwave)
■ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
■ Occasionally allow yourself a break from the rule. It’s good for the mood and helps perseverance.
If you do not want, or cannot, give up salt:
■ You can still try my recipes by salting according to your habits.
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