Loretta Sebastiani

Loretta Sebastiani
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Fresh tomato and basil pasta salad
( Insalata di pasta con pomodori freschi )

Our original home cooking

Pasta salad with ripe, raw tomatoes is a classical dish in the Italian summer menu. It's very simple and quick but there are some secrets to have the best results as you can read below. The ingredients you will need are: good-quality pasta, ripe tomatoes, fresh chives and basil, extra virgin olive oil. Here's the recipe I often make at home in summer. It's a quick, easy and healthy recipe that tastes fantastic!

difficulty: easy

time: 30 minutes

calories: 410 (kCal)

pasta salad, summer dish with penne dressed with ripe tomatoes, basil, chives and olive oil

Ingredients / Serves 2

  • 160g (5.6 ounces) short pasta as penne or rotini or fusilli, the shape you prefer
  • 400g (14 ounces) ripe but firm tomatoes
  • Little bunch fresh chives, chopped
  • Basil leaves
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
Difficulty:
easy recipe
Time:
preparation: 15 minutes
cooking: 20 minutes
total: 30 minutes
How many calories in a serving?
Calories: 410 (kcal) 21 % - 1717 (kJ)
Protein: 10.7 (g) 22 % GDA
Total fat: 11.5 (g) 17 % GDA
Total carbohydrate: 70.3 (g) 27 % GDA
Sugars: 10.4 (g) 12 % GDA

Download free PDF version (263 download).

Recipe for fresh tomato and basil pasta salad

Preparation and cooking

  • - Prepare ripe tomatoes.
    Peel tomatoes, remove their seeds and cut their pulp into little pieces directly in a large bowl.
    Add chives and olive oil.
    Season to taste with salt, stir and put apart.
  • - Cook pasta.
    Cook the pasta you've chosen al dente stage in abundant salt water.
    Drain pasta and run under cold water in order to stop cooking, drain again.
  • - The last step.
    Transfer pasta in your bowl.
    Stir with delicacy and taste to determine if the dish needs added salt.
    Put apart until serving.
  • - And basil? someone will ask for it. Just before serving ...

Just before serving

  • - Serve your pasta salad at least 30 minutes after preparing it.
  • - Remember to cut basil by hands, add to pasta salad and stir.

Note

Tips

  • - Chill this pasta salad until serving if you prepare in advance but remember to bring it back to room temperature
  • - Generally I'm used to wash chives in cold water quickly.
    Then I pat dry with absorbent kitchen paper and cut with scissors to maintain its fragrance.

Menu planning

  • - Serve this pasta salad with ripe tomatoes at lunch in summer (the best months are July, August and September when you can find ripe tomatoes easily) every time you want.
    It's perfect for people who want to eat in a healthy way.
    But you can prepare it for a full menu for your important events too. Why? It can be served together with other cold and hot dishes easily ;)

Healthy eating

  • - Pasta salad with ripe tomatoes is a healthy, low-fat recipe. But if we consider the amount of calories and the combination of its ingredients it can be only one-plate meal. Complete your meal with fresh seasonal vegetable if you are still hungry and fruit.
    Here are the doses per head: 80g (2.8 ounces) pasta, 200g (7 ounces) ripe tomatoes, 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil and herbs according to your taste

Loretta

What's the right wine for " Fresh tomato and basil pasta salad "?

Our suggestion is: a light white wine. We like white wine of Castelli Romani with this pasta salad.