Cold Mediterranean Penne is a very easy-to-make first course or even a single dish. The time it takes to cook the pasta is about the same or a little more than it takes the eggplants to sauté in the pan. Therefore, an ideal dish for the hottest days of the year, which we can easily prepare the evening before, keeping the kitchen door closed, to enjoy it the next day. I’ve tried pairing it with other types of cheese like mozzarella or provola, but in my opinion, they turned out too heavy, primo sale is ideal instead. In any case, depending on your needs or tastes, you can always change the ingredients. For those who are vegan and still want to taste this delicious and fresh recipe, I have just what you need: Vegan Primo. So no excuses, get to work immediately.
If you like cold pasta dishes, then don’t miss the upcoming recipes:
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
Ingredients
- 10 oz penne rigate
- 1.3 lbs eggplants
- 2/3 lb red tomatoes
- 5.5 oz primosale cheese
- 2.8 oz arugula
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp flat oregano
- 2 sprigs fresh basil
- to taste
Tools
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Skillet
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Plastic wrap
Preparation
Check if we have ice ready in the freezer, if not, quickly put a bowl with some water in the freezer.
Drop the penne into the water once it starts boiling and let them cook for a few minutes less than indicated on the package. Remove them from the saucepan with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the icy water to immediately stop the cooking. Drain them, place them in a bowl, add a tablespoon of oil to prevent them from sticking, and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
Wash and dry the eggplants, dice them, and sauté them in a skillet with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a clove of garlic. Season with salt, add a few basil leaves, and cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until they soften.
Meanwhile, wash the arugula thoroughly and dry it. Do the same with the tomatoes and cut them to your preferred size. Once all the ingredients are ready, add them to the cold pasta.
Season everything with another tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, dried or fresh oregano, salt, and more basil leaves from the second sprig we have available.
Plate the dish and sprinkle the seasoned pasta with hand-broken pieces of primo sale cheese.
Serve our Cold Mediterranean Penne immediately, but not before sprinkling them with pine nuts and a grind of fresh pepper.
Tips and Storage
We can store the Mediterranean penne for a day in the refrigerator, but inside an airtight container. This way their flavor and aroma won’t be altered by contact with other foods.
We prefer glass or ceramic containers over plastic, because the latter continuously releases toxic substances that are absorbed by the food.
We can also freeze the seasoned cold pasta, but it won’t be very good once defrosted. It will be excellent if reheated in a skillet or oven instead.
Please remember to defrost it in the refrigerator as we do with any other food, this way we will avoid food poisoning, which can be serious.
