The PASTA SALAD WITH PESTO, HAM AND CHEESE is a summery, fresh and delicious first course, perfect to serve at a buffet or to take to the beach as the main dish of a cheerful picnic. It’s a simple and quick dish to prepare, yet really interesting: in a few moves you’ll have a pasta salad far more delightful than the usual ones made with jarred condiments composed of acidic and greasy pickles.
The secret of the dish lies in the original pesto that coats the pasta and gives it both flavor and creaminess. It is made with fresh arugula, almonds and cheeses (Parmesan and Pecorino), which marry wonderfully and give freshness and savoriness, while maintaining a softness of taste that allows you to easily pair diced cooked ham and cheese. To complete the salad I added very sweet cluster cherry tomatoes, which add an additional fresh and slightly acidic note. In short, all ingredients are easy to find, but combined together they offer us a small masterpiece of flavor.
SEE OTHER FRESH AND TASTY COLD FIRST COURSES:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 3 oz cooked ham (in a single slice)
- 3 oz cheese (Provolone, Emmental, Scamorza)
- 5 cups arugula
- 1/3 cup almonds (unpeeled, toasted)
- 1 oz Pecorino Romano
- 1 oz Parmesan
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp water
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Bowl
Steps
To prepare the PASTA SALAD WITH PESTO, HAM AND CHEESE, first make the arugula and almond pesto.
Place the almonds in a small skillet and toast them for a few minutes, shaking the pan to avoid burning. Remove from the heat and let them cool.
Wash and dry the arugula. Put it in the food processor with the almonds, the Parmesan, the Pecorino, a pinch of salt and a little extra virgin olive oil.
Start the blender at low speed, add the remaining oil in a thin stream and continue blending until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous cream. If you prefer not to add too much oil, you can add a little water.
Set the cream aside.
Bring plenty of water to a boil, salt it a bit more than usual and cook the pasta. Drain it, cool it under running water and place it in a large bowl.
Drizzle with a little oil and toss so it doesn’t stick.
Add the arugula pesto and mix.
Add the cherry tomatoes, the cheese (choose the one you prefer) and the ham cut into cubes, adjust salt and oil and mix thoroughly.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer the pasta salad with arugula pesto to the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Take it out, toss again, plate and enjoy its fresh and creamy goodness.
