Much to its detriment, salad was never considered a main dish. Traditionally, it’s been served before a main dish rather than as a standalone dish. As a lighter, healthier option, it seems that many women, falling under societal pressure to be ever skinnier, opt for salad as main courses these days. Nowadays, many men enjoy salads as a main as well, but when my parents were younger, a man wouldn’t be caught dead eating a salad! With that said, many folks, including my husband, prefer a stick-to-your-ribs, meat and potato type of meal. To each their own!
As we have increased our awareness of nutrition, salads have come so far from just an iceberg wedge with a few tomatoes. Salads can include meat, chicken, grains, beans, berries, and nuts. Grains have become increasingly popular, making salads more interesting in taste and texture. Proteins are more filling and make you feel like you are, in fact, eating a full meal. And yes, even my husband and boys will now have a salad for lunch or dinner–provided it has the right ingredients.
There are so many choices in terms of what to put in a salad that there really is no magic key. The only thing to remember is that you absolutely do not want to over dress a salad. Usually, when I buy a salad from a store, or order one in a restaurant, it is overdressed, soggy, and disgusting. It doesn’t look like anything anyone would want to eat. Order the dressing on the side, and as you should do with any salad, put a little of the dressing in slowly. Keep tasting, and just when you start to taste the dressing, stop. It will be perfectly dressed. An undressed salad will also keep fresher if there are leftovers, so save the dressing on the side.
In the summer, with all the fresh tomatoes available, I love to make a caprese salad. I decided to try it with the addition of pasta and a pesto dressing. Nothing goes better with mozzarella and tomatoes than basil. In this salad, the basil is the root of the pesto, and pine nuts and Parmesan cheese add a delicious and wonderful texture. The pasta is a wonderful addition, complimenting this salad perfectly. I think you are going to love this dish.
This recipe is my own and will serve 6 people who will adore this new twist on an Italian classic.
Ingredients for Pesto Pasta Caprese Salad:
1 pound pasta (I like fusilli, but any kind with do that is short and round)
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup halved grape tomatoes
½ cup small fresh mozzarella balls
For the Pesto:
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 large cloves garlic
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Make the Pesto:
Combine basil leaves, pine nuts or walnuts and garlic in a food processor.
Process until very finely minced.
With the machine running, slowly dribble in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth.
Add the cheese and process just long enough to combine.
Set aside.
Make the Pasta Salad:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the pasta at a boil until according to directions.
Mix pesto, olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
Combine pasta and tomatoes.
Toss to combine.
Fold in pesto mixture.
It’s that simple!
