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the best pasta salad

main courses | serves Serves 4
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 pestle and mortar. Add the vinegar, oil and seasoning. Drizzle this over the salad, adding a little more seasoning to taste.

• from Happy Days with the Naked Chef

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ingredients

• 310g/11oz small shell-shaped pasta
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 255g/9oz yellow cherry tomatoes
• 255g/9oz red cherry tomatoes
• 1 handful of black olives, pitted
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives
• 1 handful of fresh basil
• ½ a cucumber
• 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or to taste
• 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

user comments

27 comments

1. Tieneke Fri 25 Dec 2009 @ 13:38 Fantastic dish, i make this yesterday for the christmas dinner (we had different dishes). It was a huge succes!

2. steph Sun 20 Dec 2009 @ 21:05 jamie made a squash and coconut soup with lemon grass and chillies etc , on this weeks xmas with jamie . I cant find it anywhere on this site . Can you let me know the recipe please .

3. Vicky Sun 01 Nov 2009 @ 17:22 I think this recipe will be great I am going to make it at school for food tec I ve changed it a bit for my own taste and my price range .

Vicky
11

4. brandon Sat 24 Oct 2009 @ 16:54 i love your food i is amazing espesily the best pasta salad.

5. Sophie Thu 16 Jul 2009 @ 16:38 Wow! Absouloutely fabulous! Mind you, I wouldn't have the vinegar. Add the lemon juice like Daniela said ( Number 21 :-) ).

Sophie x aged 11

P.S. Jamie, my mum loves your cooking! lol

6. Johanna Sat 11 Jul 2009 @ 19:39 Hi Jamie ! 8D
I haven't tried it yet, but it looks delicious.

7. Courtney Mon 01 Jun 2009 @ 00:19 I make this a lot. I like to top it with a little grated parmesan cheese.

8. Robbie Lockie Tue 19 May 2009 @ 22:42 I can personally say this salad is outstanding!

9. Noor Tue 12 May 2009 @ 11:41 Tried it last night. Loved it! It's also yummier the next day when all the flavours are blended. I added sundried tomatoes which also added a nice kick to it... A great lunch for hot summer days :) Thank you.

10. hello Wed 22 Apr 2009 @ 10:51 hello jamie :)

11. Samir Wed 22 Apr 2009 @ 10:46 That looks verry yummy in my tummy!
ps. my mum loves you! :)

12. kim Mon 13 Apr 2009 @ 15:57 i tried it and it was fantastic my friends it was genius

13. Christine Tue 24 Mar 2009 @ 23:29 you can buy the small shell shaped pasta (conchiglie) at Asda

14. Ana Tue 18 Nov 2008 @ 13:43 I can't find this small pasta anywhere in the UK, does anyone know where I can buy it?

15. Ans Tue 16 Sep 2008 @ 17:07 Hi Sally

It's the bottum of the bowl what you see with oliveoil. It looks like an egg but it isnt.

Greetz!

Ans from Holland.

16. Robyn Tue 16 Sep 2008 @ 07:13 Its the bottom of the bowl. not an egg yolk. freak! ha ha ha

17. Zhang Wed 10 Sep 2008 @ 15:36 Excuse me, but what is the big yellow thing in the middle of the salad thats looks like a raw egg yolk?

18. Lyn Tue 09 Sep 2008 @ 05:54 Hi Everyone,
I absolutley love this pasta salad! have made it now on a number of occasions for bbq's and everyone loves it! . I also add a few teaspoons of capers... yummo!
Regards,
Lyn - Australia

19. Allan Albano Mon 08 Sep 2008 @ 00:47 Hi there folks and cooking guys,,,Im from the Philippines and always watching Olivers T.V cooking episodes,,Im very proud for him..Can anybody share me all cooking tips and others recipes? cause Im very much interested in pastas and vege's or any recipes............keep me in touch with email,,,pls...

thanks

20. Isabella Sun 07 Sep 2008 @ 08:07 I believe 4 tablespoons of white vinegar are too much, I agree with David, it just isn't good with Insalata di pasta, but try a few drops of balsamic vinegar, that should do the trick! By the way, where can I find yellow cherry tomatoes over here (that's Italy), they do not seem to exist and I should now as I grow my own tomatoes in the orchard (well actually my mother does, but still)

21. Julieta Mirea Sat 06 Sep 2008 @ 16:20 I like it ! It's easy and sound.
Yes Daniela, you have right about tomatoes and lemon juice.
Bye, Julieta from Romania

22. Megan Sat 06 Sep 2008 @ 13:59 This is a great salad!
So nice bc in Toronto almost everything can be bought local
Thanks

PS Sally, I think that it is the oil in the bottom of a white bowl that is throwing you off...but why not add an egg? Recipes to me are only a guideline :)

23. Sally Sat 06 Sep 2008 @ 08:57 Jamie,
I was attracted to the recipe as I thought you had a poached egg in the centre - however, there's no mention of it in the recipe. Are my eyes deceiving me???
Kindest regards,
Sally
P.S. Absolutely loved the roast squash risotto recipe - delicious!!!!!

24. ollyandm Sat 06 Sep 2008 @ 06:58 I find the best way to get nice tomatoes, is to grow your own. 2 or 3 cherry tom plants will give you lots to eat, if space is limited.

25. andrewbarratt Sat 06 Sep 2008 @ 01:44 Hi There
i am writing to you today to see if you can give me some advise on some ideas on salads for this coming summer as we live in new zealand and its boring just sticking a lettuce on a plate if you can help that would be great

andy b cha cha char

26. Daniela Thu 04 Sep 2008 @ 02:54 Try lemon juice if vinegar is not your taste. I find that the lemon juice when poured over the hot pasta is absorbed quicly and the taste is not as strong as the vinegar. As well if you have good tomatoes you could skip the vinegar all together. Would love to be able to get good tomatoes in Australia but most of the tomatoes these days are very bland. I remember as a young girl back in Europe you could eat tomatoes like a fruit - which they are. They were so full of flavour and sweet. It's a pitty that they are only grown to look good but taste awful!!

27. David (form Torino - Italy) Wed 03 Sep 2008 @ 15:12 Hi, it looks real good, but I'm not convinced that the vinegar is good in the Insalata di Pasta, I tried it both with white vinegar or with Modena' Balsamic vinegar, but just felt it was not right there.

bye

David