OhdearRia

Happy first day of summer, Australia!  For those warm nights on the week days when you don’t really feel like spending too much time in the kitchen, this pasta salad is great.  Easy and quick to make and it tastes delicious too!

Ingredients:

• 375g linguine pasta
• 1/4cup pine nuts
• 2 cured chorizo sausages
• 200g mini grape tomatoes
• 100g baby rocket leaves
• 250g buffalo mozzarella cheese, torn

Dressing:

• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. In a large saucepan of boiling water, cook pasta following packet instructions.  Drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium frying pan, toast pine nuts on high, stirring continuously, until golden.  Remove from pan.
3. Thinly slice 1 chorizo.  Discard casing and finely chop.  In same frying pan, cook sliced and chopped chorizo on high, stirring until well brown.  Drain on paper towel.  Reserve chorizo oil.
4. Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk ingredients together.  Season to taste.
5. In a large bowl, combine pasta, nuts and chorizo with tomatoes, rocket and dressing, tossing gently.  Serve pasta topped with cheese and drizzled with reserved chorizo oil.

Source: The Australian Women’s Weekly.