Cold pasta with cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers, with a fresh and delicious flavor, is very easy to prepare. The ingredients are typically Mediterranean, and the addition of toasted pine nuts enhances the taste even more. If you want to enrich it further, you can add one or two tablespoons of Genoese pesto, but first try it as I propose. Another suggestion could be to replace or add oregano instead of basil, but this always depends on personal taste. You can also make a richer version of this recipe by adding mozzarella instead of feta, or another type of cheese. Additionally, it is really excellent even when reheated in a pan.
If you like cold first courses, especially in the warmer periods of the year, then don’t miss the upcoming recipes:
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz fusilli
- 10.5 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1.75 oz desalted capers
- 5.25 oz Taggiasca olives
- 6 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 0.7 oz pine nuts
- 1 large clove garlic
- to taste fresh basil
- to taste ice water
Tools
- 1 High-sided saucepan
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Food wrap
Preparation
The very first thing to do is put a bowl full of water in the freezer a quarter of an hour before boiling the pasta. Bring another pot of water to a boil in a saucepan, and when it starts boiling, throw in the fusilli. Let them cook for about 6 minutes because they need to remain quite al dente.
Once ready, drain them with a slotted spoon and immediately place them in ice water to stop the cooking process. Continue by draining them again, but this time in a colander, and place them in a bowl. Since they should be lukewarm, cover them with food wrap and refrigerate.
Meanwhile, cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters, place them in a non-stick pan, and pour 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over them.
Adjust the salt, add the torn basil leaves, and finally add the garlic clove if large; otherwise, add two. Sauté them in the pan for about 8/10 minutes, or at least until they have wilted.
With a sharp knife, chop the capers, but only after having desalted and dried them. Also toast the pine nuts in a non-stick pan, and finally pour a tablespoon of oil over the pasta, just out of the refrigerator, and mix to separate the fusilli well. You can also do this operation after draining the pasta, before refrigerating.
Now add the Taggiasca olives, capers, pan-fried cherry tomatoes at room temperature to the fusilli and mix all the ingredients well.
Finish by decorating the dish with more fresh basil leaves, another tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and the toasted pine nuts.
Serve our Cold pasta with cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers only after letting it rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
If we want to enrich it further, we can add one or two tablespoons of Genoese pesto.
Tips and Storage
Cold pasta can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days, but store it inside a container, preferably glass or ceramic, with an airtight seal.
I also happened to freeze it, but after defrosting it correctly in the fridge, I no longer consumed it cold.
I added some melting cheese, grated Parmesan, and sautéed it in a pan: I gave new life to the recipe.
Try it because it’s delicious by Monica Pannacci
