Life + Pesto Pasta Salad

It’s been an insane week, but a calming moment has been organizing some photos. This is just a little tidbit of my Labor Day morning.

Really I have nothing fascinating to write about. I spent Labor Day Eve at some friends house outside of the city. It was a cool evening, overcast without clouds and at midnight I was sitting on a porch contemplating life. It was awesome. Seriously, it’s one of my dreams of life, you know that whole babies, a pretty kitchen and a porch swing thing.

But until then, my contribution the Labor Day Feast…an unstuffy pesto pasta salad, and a recipe after the jump.

Pesto Pasta Salad

This may in fact be the simplest pasta salad recipe and is great cause there is no mayo (for the mayo averse) and no gluten for those wheat intolerant. And you can add whatever you want to it, it’s amazing and versatile like that.

1 bag of brown rice pasta (fusilli or penne)
1 c. pesto, give or take a little (recipe below or from a jar)
2 containers of buffalo mozzarella
2 c. cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to the directions on the package.

While the water is boiling, drain and cut the mozzarella into manageable pieces. Set aside in a bowl. Chop the cherry tomatoes in half and place in the bowl with the mozzarella.

When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the bowl, tossing it with the tomatoes and cheese. Add the pesto and toss together to coat the pasta. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pesto
care of Simply Recipes

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh basil to garnish

Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and garnish with fresh chopped basil.

Makes 1 cup.