Italian Pasta Salad with Arugula and Parmesan
Colorful Fusilli Salad with Carrot Top Dressing
Pasta salad is a favorite at parties and picnics. Why not try the Italian version: Insalata di pasta mista with carrot top dressing? There’s really no need for many words here—just this much: This Italian pasta salad tastes great in any variation—in our version with fusilli or shell pasta, penne, or even just plain spaghetti. By the way, pasta salads are ideal for using up leftovers when you have extra pasta from cooking. How do you make a good pasta salad? First, it’s important to cook the pasta “al dente” and add the sauce as late as possible, otherwise the pasta will soak up the sauce and become mushy. We recommend using short pasta, as it absorbs a lot of dressing. As for the sauce, it shouldn’t be too thick, otherwise it won’t spread evenly.
If you need more salad inspiration for your next barbecue, we recommend our delicious tortellini salad or a green salad with a tasty pesto dressing.
Ingredients
125 g arugula
about 150 g pickled sun-dried tomatoes
1 can of ORO di Parma cherry tomatoes (400 g each)
500 g fresh fusilli
50 g pine nuts
1 bunch of fresh carrots with carrot tops
100 g freshly grated Parmesan*
a handful of fresh basil
extra virgin olive oil
A little Aceto Balsamico di Modena
Salt and freshly ground pepper
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*Certain types of cheese (e.g., Parmesan) are made with animal rennet and are therefore not suitable for vegetarian dishes.
Step 1 : The Preparation
First, cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions, drain it, and let it cool slightly. Meanwhile, you can gently toast the pine nuts in a pan without oil. They should be a nice golden brown, as this is when pine nuts develop their best flavor. Remove the tops from the carrots, wash them thoroughly, and chop them finely. Peel the carrots and then slice them.
Step 2 : The Carrot Top Dressing
Now comes the unusual—but incredibly delicious—dressing: To make it, mix together salt, pepper, and Aceto Balsamico di Modena. Then add olive oil and the carrot tops, and purée the mixture.
Step 3 : The Finale
Now add the cooled pasta, arugula, carrot slices, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil to a salad bowl. Next, drain the unpeeled ORO di Parma cherry tomatoes and add them to the salad along with the pine nuts. Serve the pasta salad with the dressing and a little Parmesan, if desired. Incredibly delicious!
Tip
CATCH THE JUICE FROM THE CHERRY TOMATOES…
because you can put it to great use and turn it into a delicious tomato sauce.
Ingredients
125 g arugula
about 150 g pickled sun-dried tomatoes
1 can of ORO di Parma cherry tomatoes (400 g each)
500 g fresh fusilli
50 g pine nuts
1 bunch of fresh carrots with carrot tops
100 g freshly grated Parmesan*
a handful of fresh basil
extra virgin olive oil
A little Aceto Balsamico di Modena
Salt and freshly ground pepper
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*Certain types of cheese (e.g., Parmesan) are made with animal rennet and are therefore not suitable for vegetarian dishes.
