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Cold Pasta Salad with Crudaiola Sauce

17/11/2023

The cold pasta salad with crudaiola sauce is a fresh dish that’s ideal for hot days. Typically a summer meal, this dish can be prepared simply and quickly. Here is the recipe with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

  • 300g of short pasta (like farfalle, fusilli, penne)
  • 500g of ripe tomatoes
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Fresh basil to taste
  • 1 buffalo mozzarella (or fiordilatte)
  • 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste (optional)
  • Pitted black olives (optional)
  • Salt-packed capers (optional)
  • Salted or oil-packed anchovies (optional, for a stronger flavor note)

Preparation

  1. Bring a pot of plenty of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta following the instructions on the package to achieve an al dente texture. Once cooked, drain it and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down quickly.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the crudaiola sauce. Wash the tomatoes and dice them, removing the seeds if you prefer a less watery sauce.
  3. Peel the garlic cloves and crush them with the flat side of a knife, then chop finely or, if you prefer, leave them whole and remove them later to infuse a milder aroma.
  4. Wash and dry the basil leaves and cut them into strips or leave them whole according to your preference.
  5. In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, garlic, basil, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. If you have opted to add olives, capers, or anchovies, incorporate them at this stage.
  6. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and add it to the crudaiola sauce, mixing gently.
  7. Add the cooled pasta into the bowl with the crudaiola sauce and mozzarella, and mix well to ensure the flavors are absorbed.
  8. Allow the pasta salad to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving, to enhance the flavor further.
  9. Serve the cold pasta salad with crudaiola sauce chilled, garnished with some fresh basil leaves.

Curiosity

The crudaiola sauce owes its name to the fact that all its components are used raw (crudaiola indeed), and this helps preserve the fresh taste of the tomatoes and basil. Moreover, cold pasta is excellent for preparing in advance for picnics or outdoor lunches. A glass of chilled white wine is the ideal pairing for this dish.