Italians’ style and passion for pasta manages to make its way into the office. The secret to their success? All kinds of pasta should be cooked in plenty of boiling salted water, drained while al dente (that is a minute or two before the cooking time indicated on the package) and cooled before use. Here are four colorful recipes perfect for taking to work.
Cold pasta salad with shrimps (serves six)
Ingredients:
400g short pasta
1 zucchini
8 cherry tomatoes
organic lemon
extra virgin olive oil
1 cup peeled shrimps blanched in steam
Wash the tomatoes and quarter them, then place in a salad bowl. Cut the zucchini into thin slices and season with lemon and oil. Add the tomatoes, pasta, a little lemon zest, oil and finally the zucchini and shrimp.
Cold Mediterranean pasta salad (serves four)
Ingredients:
250g short pasta
100g feta cheese1 sweet onion
6 cherry tomatoes
1/2 red pepper
1/2 cucumber
a handful of pitted olives
extra virgin olive oil
pepper
fresh basil
Wash the peppers and cut into thin slices, repeat with the onion, cucumber and tomatoes (cut into 4), and place everything in a salad bowl. Add the olives, the feta cut into cubes and the pasta. Season with olive oil, pepper and basil.
Cold pasta salad with pesto (serves six)
Ingredients:25g of pine nuts
30g of basil leaves
30g parmesan cheese
50g of asparagus or green beans 1 clove of garlic
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper.
Prepare the pesto by blending the washed basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Blanch the asparagus or green beans cut into strips for 1 minute in boiling water, then immediately dip in cold water. Combine the vegetables with the pasta in a bowl and season with pesto diluted with a little cooking water from the vegetables. Add extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Cold pasta salad with tuna (serves four)
Ingredients:
250g short pasta
2 shallots
a handful of capers
10 cherry tomatoes
a handful of stoned olives oil
pepper
fresh or dry basil
Drain the tuna well, place in a salad bowl and add the finely chopped shallots, quartered tomatoes, capers and olives. Combine the pasta, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground pepper and fresh or dried basil.
