It finally is beginning to feel as if summer is here and it feels good for many reasons, one of which is that it is season for pasta salads. I am very fond of pasta salads but only if the pasta is cooked as it should be, i.e. al dente so that there is still some spring in it when you chew. The good thing about this kind of salad is that you can use a lot of fresh ingredients and mix them with cooked ones and it doesn’t feel strange, you cannot really do that when you a make hot pasta sauce well at least not as successfully.
I especially find pasta salads useful when you have guests because it really is what I would call a convenient dish, you can make it all beforehand or you can prepare most of it and mix it at the last minute and that is something I appreciate when I am rushing and stressing just before the guests arrive and it is great to actually be able to say hello to them when they arrive!
PASTA SALAD WITH SMOKED FISH AND MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLES
4-6 servings
400 g/ 14 oz short pasta like penne, conchiglie and farfalle
150 g/ 5,3 oz sliced smoked fish cut into pieces, I used smoked sword fish but you can use smoked tuna or salmon as well. Or some other smoked fish you like
1 medium eggplant
1 jar of grilled peppers in olive oil, or grill your own if the bell pepper season is on
a handful of small black olives
1-2 firm small zucchini, preferably the light green variety as they usually are firmer and sweeter
capers, optional
parsley, finely chopped
salt
extra-virgin olive oil
- Slice the eggplant thinly and fry the slices in batches in hot olive oil until golden. Put them on kitchen paper to drip off the excess fat.
- Cut the grilled peppers into strips and put in a bowl, add the olives and the capers if you want those.
- Cut the zucchini either into really thin strips or thin slices that you cut in two and add to the rest.
- Add parsley, some salt and 2-3 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil and mix well.
- Cook the pasta al dente, drain the cooking liquid and rinse immediately in cold water so that the cooking stops and the pasta is completely cold. Add to the vegetable and oil mix and stir well.
- Add the eggplant and the smoked fish, mix and it is ready to serve.
L
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I love this type of salad! Never thought of using smoked fish though, great idea.
It’s definitely the season for pasta salads. I made a very plain one yesterday with green beans, pine nuts, pesto and farfalle. I’m thinking of making something with broccoli today. I’ll have to try this recipe out at some point.
Definitely will have to call in for lunch one day
love pasta salads!
Looking at the forecast over the week-end, I see we’re going into the triple digits … that’s summer if you ask me. This salad should just be right! Smoked fish will give it an extra newness that’s always welcome.
Ilva, not only does this bowlful of pasta salad look so good that I am tempted to grab a fork and start eating, your photographs are stunning too! Very poetic!
pasta salad is good for health !
you have captured the essence of spring with your beautiful pictures, the flowers and the colorful pasta
I don’t see the fish or the eggplant in the photo. This looks very good and fresh, and I would personally leave out the fried eggplant anyway.