Pesto Pasta Salad

As the temperature goes up, the desire to be in the kitchen goes down. This simple summer salad is the answer. Instead of hot pasta this is a cold pasta dish which is flavorful, fresh and colorful. It has simple ingredients and can be made in a jiffy. Some pasta shapes are easier to coat than others, I used farfalle, bow-tie pasta as they are better in this dish. For some saltiness, I use feta cheese which has a bite and goes well with the basil notes of the pesto. Cherry tomatoes are little bombs of flavor. They have the concentrated taste of tomato in each small bite. Buy the snack variety and preferably organic as they will be eaten raw. 

Ingredients:

3 cups pasta, bow-tie pasta preferred

1/2 cup basil pesto (or more if you like)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, split in half

1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled

In a large pot boil about 9 cups of water till it comes to a rolling boil. Add salt and pasta and cook till al dente. It should take about 8-9 minutes. Drain the pasta, place in a large bowl and add the pesto to it. Toss well to cover evenly. Add the tomatoes and half the cheese and mix well. To serve sprinkle some cheese on top and enjoy!

I had sent this recipe to Nithu's Kitchen as a guest post. It was featured along with my interview. 

I am sending this to Red Chilies for a Light Lunch, her series for June.