Studený těstovinový salát se zeleninou v oleji a sýrem pecorino

In summer, there are two dishes you are almost certain to find on many Italian tables: ham with melon and Cold Pasta Salad. Both are quick and delicious, colorful and wholesome, and both are loved and enjoyed by many, but their origins could not be more different. The combination of cured meat and fruit has deep roots in the past, and its history is well documented, while the story of today’s dish cannot be found in the pages of ancient books. It is a story about progress, and about the great changes that transformed everyday life and the habits of millions of people.

After World War II, as Italy entered its economic boom in the 1950s and 1960s, washing machines, televisions and, of course, refrigerators began making their way into Italian homes. Those same decades were filled with the excitement of newfound freedom, which often meant day trips and picnics, with meals carefully prepared and packed at home. It was a new world, and it called for new flavors, new ideas and new traditions. Traditions that have never gone out of style, just like Cold Pasta Salad. This homegrown creation eventually won over the world of fine dining as well, when, in the early 1980s, Gualtiero Marchesi celebrated it with his surprising cold Spaghetti with caviar.

Our Cold Pasta Salad with Vegetables in oil and Pecorino Cheese pays tribute to the joyful origins of a recipe that reminds us of the value of freedom, and of how the things that matter most are often the ones we risk taking for granted. Like a delicious dish to share with the people we love, sitting on a blanket spread out in the middle of a meadow on a warm, sunny day.

Preparation time: 15 minutes 
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 

Ingredients

320 g of Penne with wheat germ Toscana Food Love
80 g of Semi-aged Pecorino Emilia Food Love
3 tbsp Grilled Zucchini in Oil Emilia Food Love
3 tbsp Grilled Eggplant in Oil Emilia Food Love
2 tbsp Mediterranean Antipasto in Oil Toscana Food Love
Extra virgin olive oil “Colline di Romagna” DOP Emilia Food Love, as needed
5 fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Cook the penne in plenty of salted boiling water, drain when al dente, and transfer to a baking dish. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and let the pasta cool.

2. Add Mediterranean antipasto, grilled zucchini and grilled eggplant in oil. Add the pecorino cheese cut into small cubes and toss well to combine. Season with the coarsely chopped basil leaves, salt and a pinch of pepper.

3. Garnish with a sprig of basil, if desired, and serve.
   
   Tip

If you love bolder flavors, you can replace our Semi-Aged Pecorino with Aged Pecorino Emilia Food Love, or even our Extra-Aged Pecorino!