The Best Pasta Salad

method

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Throw in the pasta and cloves of garlic, boil until al dente, drain and run under cold water to cool. Put the garlic to one side to use for the dressing. Put the pasta into a bowl. Chop the tomatoes, olives, chives, basil and cucumber into pieces about half the size of the pasta and add to the bowl. Squash the garlic cloves out of their skins and mush in a mortar and pestle. Add the vinegar, oil and seasoning. Drizzle this over the salad, adding a little more seasoning to taste.

serves: 4

ingredients

• 11oz small shell-shaped pasta
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 pint yellow cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 pint red cherry tomatoes
• 1 handful of black olives, pitted
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives
• 1 handful of fresh basil
• 1/2 a cucumber
• 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or to taste
• 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper