Salad Pasta Primavera

Im so happy we made it to May as the lockdown continues. Thankfully all is well, everyone’s healthy, employed and upbeat. The weather here as warmed up beautifully, in fact we also got to peak into some hot days last week. That means berry season, pizzas, frozen treats, salads and barbecue season.

I have become so appreciative of little things that I took for granted.

Let me introduce you to our favorite pasta salad and hope it will become your favorite salad too. This pasta salad is so good it will be soon become part of your dinner rotation. So whats so special you ask-it’s the simplicity of this dish, freshness of spring vegetables and its got pasta of course (Bonus: most of the salad happens one skillet).

There is so much flavor and texture going on here ~ snappy blistered asparagus, briny olives, toasty walnuts, sweet tomatoes, creamy fava beans, caramelized leeks and a vibrant vinaigrette. Make it all spring-summer with produce as they come into season and enjoy it as a light weeknight dinner, side to a family barbecue to picnic.

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Spring Pasta Salad – Serves 4 as a light meal

• 8 oz any small pasta
• 1 bunch medium thick asparagus, ends trimmed and chopped into 3 inch pieces, about one pound ( green beans also works well)
• 1 cup shelled fava beans or fresh peas
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced ( artichokes are also delicious)
• 8-10 oz baby san Marzano or cherry tomatoes

• 4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• ¾ cup castelvetrano olives, halved
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil+ more if needed for the vinaigrette
• 3 oz walnuts
• fresh mozzarella, chopped (optional)
• a generous handful of mixed herbs- parsley, basil, mint

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the box’s instructions. Drain the pasta, rinse under cold water, and leave it to drain for a few minute.
2. Place the drained pasta to a large mixing bowl and toss with a light coating of olive oil. Set aside.
3. Blanch the shelled fava beans till tender.
4. Heat a skillet over medium. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the asparagus. Let cook until blistered and tender. Transfer to a plate.
5. Add a little more olive oil. Add the leeks and cook till soft and caramelized. Transfer to the asparagus plate.
6. Add more olive oil to the skillet and lower the heat to a low. Add the cherry tomatoes. Season with a little salt. Cook the tomatoes until they are slightly blister and are soft, about 10 minutes, add the cherry tomatoes to the plate of asparagus and leeks.
7. Next add the walnuts to the skillet over low heat. Allow the walnuts to toast until golden. Transfer the walnuts to a cutting board, let cool slightly, roughly chop, and set aside.
8. Lower the heat all the way and add the garlic to the remaining olive oil. Let cook for 20 seconds. Turn off the heat and set aside.
9. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the white balsamic vinegar, maple syrup. Add all of the garlic + the oil, whisk until emulsified. Season with sea salt and generous amounts of black pepper.
10. Toss in the asparagus, leeks, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, olives, fava beans to the pasta. Drizzle in the vinaigrette. Toss really well. Taste the pasta salad and season if needed..