Cold Pasta with Peppers and Taggiasca Olives, a tasty recipe ideal to enjoy on the hottest days of the year. If you like peppers, you absolutely have to try it, not only because it’s good but also very simple and quick to prepare. The combination with Taggiasca olives, capers, and basil is really good, and the latter gives it an absolute sense of freshness. You can serve it in a large bowl, or in individual portions in glass containers, to make a statement if you have guests.
If you like cold pasta, then you must not miss the following recipes:
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 11 oz whole wheat mezze maniche
- 21 oz red and yellow bell peppers
- 2 tbsps desalted capers
- 4 tbsps Taggiasca olives
- 2 bunches basil
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Pan non-stick
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Bowl
Preparation
First, boil a pot of water to cook the mezze maniche. Drain them very al dente and immediately rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking (to prevent it from sticking, I toss it with a little extra virgin olive oil). Once this step is done, wash the peppers, dry them, and after removing the inner part, the white part with all the seeds, chop them into fairly small pieces. This way, they will fit better into the pasta cavities and make it tastier. Put the extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick pan and add the peppers.
Sauté them over medium-high heat, season with salt, and continue cooking until the peppers are well wilted and roasted. At this point, toss the mezze maniche into a large bowl and add the peppers, but only when they have cooled slightly.
Finally, add the capers (they can also be coarsely chopped), Taggiasca olives, and basil leaves broken roughly by hand, and mix all the ingredients well to distribute them evenly.
Let our Cold Pasta with Peppers and Taggiasca Olives cool in the refrigerator for about two hours before serving. Add some extra basil leaves if desired.
Tips
The cold pasta can be kept in the refrigerator for about two days, but it must be placed inside an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap.
You can also freeze it, but once thawed, I recommend not eating it cold anymore, as it will have lost its sense of freshness. I usually reheat it in a pan where I also add some melting cheese and Parmesan, turning it directly into another recipe. With the same added ingredients, you can also decide to put it in the oven.
Remember, never defrost food at room temperature but in the refrigerator, to avoid unpleasant and sometimes serious food poisoning.
