Cold pasta with bell peppers and Taggiasche olives, a delightful recipe ideal for enjoying on the hottest days of the year. If you like bell peppers, you absolutely have to try it, especially because it’s not only tasty but also very simple and quick to prepare. The combination with Taggiasche olives, capers, and basil is really great and the latter gives it an absolute sense of freshness. You can serve it in a large bowl, or serve it in individual portions by placing it in glass containers to make a greater impression if you have guests.
If you like cold pasta, then you shouldn’t miss the next recipes:
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 11 oz whole wheat short pasta
- 1.3 lbs red and yellow bell peppers
- 2 tbsps desalted capers
- 4 tbsps Taggiasche olives
- 2 bunches basil
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Frying Pan non-stick
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Bowl
Preparation
First of all, bring a pot of water to a boil to cook the short pasta. Drain it very al dente and immediately run it under cold running water to stop the cooking (to prevent it from sticking, I dress it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil). Once this operation is completed, wash the bell peppers, dry them, and after removing the inner part, the white part with all the seeds, cut them into pieces not too large. In this way, they will fit better into the cavities of the pasta and will certainly make it tastier. Put the extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and pour in the bell peppers.
Sauté them over medium-high heat, season with salt, and continue cooking until the bell peppers are well wilted and browned. At this point, pour the short pasta into a large bowl and add the bell peppers, but only when they have cooled down.
Finally, add the capers (they can also be coarsely chopped), Taggiasche olives, basil leaves torn by hand, and mix all the ingredients well to distribute them evenly.
Let our Cold Pasta with Bell Peppers and Taggiasche Olives cool in the refrigerator for about two hours before serving it. Add a few more basil leaves to taste.
Advice
Cold pasta keeps in the refrigerator for about two days, but it should be stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap.
You can also freeze it, but once defrosted I recommend not eating it cold anymore, as it will lose that sense of freshness. I usually toss it in a pan where I also add some melting cheese and Parmesan, making it directly into another recipe. With the same added ingredients, you can also decide to bake it.
Please, never defrost food at room temperature but in the refrigerator to avoid unpleasant and sometimes serious food poisoning.
