Pesto pasta salad

Name: Pesto pasta salad
Ingredients: 350g / 12oz spiral pasta (fusilli, or other of choice, 3 1/2 cups); 1 tbsp salt (, for cooking pasta); 2 tbsp pinenuts (, toasted (sub walnuts, cashews, almonds); 2 cups (tightly packed) basil leaves; 1 small garlic clove (, minced); 1/2 cup parmesan (, finely grated); 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or 50/50 grapeseed/olive oil); 2 tbsp mayonnaise (S&W, else Hellman's, Note 2); 250g (1 heaped cup) cherry tomatoes, cut in half; 220g/ 7 oz baby bocconcini (, drained, cut in half (Note 3); 1 cup (tightly packed) baby rocket/arugula leaves (40g); 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt; Small basil leaves (, optional garnish)

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Total Time

30 minutes

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Rating

(17)

Ingredients

5 servings

350g / 12oz spiral pasta (fusilli, or other of choice, 3 1/2 cups)
1 tbsp salt (, for cooking pasta)
2 tbsp pinenuts (, toasted (sub walnuts, cashews, almonds)
2 cups (tightly packed) basil leaves
1 small garlic clove (, minced)
1/2 cup parmesan (, finely grated)
1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or 50/50 grapeseed/olive oil)
2 tbsp mayonnaise (S&W, else Hellman's, Note 2)
250g (1 heaped cup) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
220g/ 7 oz baby bocconcini (, drained, cut in half (Note 3)
1 cup (tightly packed) baby rocket/arugula leaves (40g)
1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
Small basil leaves (, optional garnish)

Kid-Friendly Beginner Italian Vegetarian ...

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Preparation

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Step 1

Cook pasta - Bring 3 litres of water to the boil with the salt. Cook for the pasta packet time + 1 minute. Drain in a colander, rinse under cold water. Shake off excess water well, then allow to fully cool and dry.

Step 2

Pesto - Place all ingredients in a tall jug just large enough to fit the head of a stick blender. Blitz under pretty smooth. Not a green smoothie, we still want some visible green bits! but not chunks.

Step 3

Toss - Place pasta in a bowl, scrape in the pesto. Add mayonnaise then toss well. Add bocconcini and tomato, toss gently just to disperse. Add rocket/arugula and toss just to disperse.