Chef Gino D’Acampo’s Tasty Pasta Salad Recipe
“I love a pasta salad and this is a really tasty one,” says chef Gino D’Acampo. According to him, this recipe came about just before a trip to Sardinia for the summer. The night before the trip, he threw together all the leftovers from the fridge and kitchen cupboards, resulting in a delicious outcome.
Pasta salads are versatile and allow for creativity, making them perfect for a filling and convenient lunch option.
Insalata Semplice di Pasta con Pollo, Prosciutto e Pesto Rosso
Ingredients:
- 400g dried fusilli pasta
- 150g broccoli florets
- 100g green beans, trimmed and halved
- 5tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
- 3tbsp good-quality shop-bought red pesto
- 1 large red onion, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 large red apple, cored, cut into 1cm chunks
- 8 basil leaves, torn in half
- 150g cold chicken breast, cut into 1cm chunks
- 150g thick slice of ham, cut into 1cm chunks
- 5 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
- 4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- Fill a medium saucepan with water, add salt, and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Cook broccoli and beans, then add them to the drained pasta in a bowl.
- Combine mayonnaise, pesto, red onion, apple, basil, chicken, ham, pepper, and salt in the bowl. Mix well.
- Add the cooled broccoli and beans to the mixture.
- Transfer the pasta salad to a serving platter, sprinkle with spring onions, drizzle with olive oil, and serve at room temperature.
Gino’s Italy: Like Mamma Used To Make by Gino D’Acampo is published by Bloomsbury Publishing.