So, August is upon us already and as usual at this time of year, I’m already trying to remember what I did for the previous seven months of the year. Days have become a bit of blur since moving to Amsterdam and setting up my own business and I’m finding more and more that I need to make time for myself and drag my eyes away from the computer.
Next week I’m going home to the UK for a long weekend to see family and have already vowed to do no work while I’m there. Which has actually led to me having to do more work now in the run-up, just so that everything is covered and taken care of before I go. Sigh.
One thing I do miss about working in an office, as opposed to working for myself from home, is lunch breaks. I rarely take what you’d call a proper lunch break these days, especially if I’ve already had to run a few errands in the day and need to catch up on work. But some days, like today, the sun is shining and I force myself to enjoy lunch out on our little balcony, in the sun. It’s so peaceful out there.
On sunny days, there’s nothing nicer than a pesto pasta salad. It’s filling, but not too much so, and leaves you feeling satisfied. Unless you’re doing the whole no carb thing, in which case, this recipe isn’t for you.
I used white asparagus in this recipe partly because I wanted to see what all the fuss is about. White asparagus is ridiculously popular in Europe, being sold fresh, canned or in jars. The asparagus I used was in a jar, almost like pickles, making it very soft. I would definitely eat it again, although I’d like to try it with fresh white asparagus next time. If you can’t find white asparagus in your store, regular green asparagus will work just as well.
Topped with an extra blob of pesto (for this version I used basil, but my walnut pesto would work just as well), the juicy pop-in-your-mouth tomatoes and a sprinkling of Parmesan, this pesto pasta salad is guaranteed to perk up your lunch break, especially if you’re a slave to your computer like I am. Boo.
Pesto Pasta Salad with White Asparagus and Roasted Tomatoes
2
servings5
minutes20
minutesIngredients
1 1/4 cups (160g) whole wheat pasta (I used fusili)
10 baby tomatoes on the vine
6-7 small sticks white asparagus (I used the jarred version)
3 tbsp pesto
Parmesan cheese, to serve
Directions
- Preheat oven to 190C / 375F. Set a pot of water on to boil and season with a little salt. Cook pasta according to packet instructions and then drain. Run the pasta under cold water for about a minute, drain again and set aside.
- Meanwhile, drizzle the tomatoes (still on the vine) with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for around 10 minutes, or until soft and the skin has broken.
- Chop the asparagus into small sticks.
- Stir the pesto through the pasta and then add the asparagus. Divide between two plates and serve topped with the roasted tomatoes, another small blob of pesto and the roasted tomatoes.
I love pesto… we eat a lot of it in our house. We make it with basil if we have it, but since we live in a cold state, most of the year it is purchased. I think you could add in almost any vegetables… my daughter loves it with broccoli. Love the idea of adding the roasted tomatoes – they are like candy!