Rackets & Balls Pesto Pasta Salad
Always a swing and a home run.
Spring has sprung and vaccines have been taken (THANK YOU SCIENCE) - which all means it’s time for picnics and seeing and cooking for the people I love in person again! This pasta salad is perfect for a picnic or BBQ, get out your rackets and balls and let’s play!
Ingredients
For the mint basil pistachio pesto
1 c. basil
1 c. mint
¾ c. pistachios
½ c. parmesan cheese (grated)
¾ c. olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
For everything else
1 package of racchette pasta or similar shaped pasta
1 c. English peas (blanched & chilled)
1 c. corn - fresh or frozen
1 - 8 oz package of mozzarella pearls
1 ½ c. pesto
prosciutto to garnish
Cooking Directions
Let’s make some pasta salad!
To make the pesto begin by chopping the herbs in a food processor. Next add the pistachios, cheese, garlic cloves, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, apple cider vinegar, and spices. Blitz until slightly chunky but mostly smooth - you know, like pesto from the jar but you made it!
Put the pesto in a container and refrigerate.
Place a large saucepan of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil. Once boiling add pasta and allow to cook for 9-11 minutes or until al dente. Rinse the pasta in an ice water bath, drain, toss with olive oil, and place in fridge.
Parboil the English peas and corn (if fresh) for 1 min. Place in an ice water bath, drain, and set aside.
In a large bowl mix pasta, 2-3 big spoonfuls of pesto, the mozzarella balls, peas, and corn together. I like to use my hands so I don’t break apart the pasta and I evenly spread the pesto. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste as you mix. Refrigerate.
Once you’re ready to serve your rackets and balls, put your pasta salad in a serving dish, place strips of prosciutto along the salad, and grate some parmesan cheese on top.
Happy Spring and enjoy this serve!
Substitutions and Tips
You can use any type of noodle you like, adjust the cooking time so that your pasta cooks to an optimal tenderness. I will say for this recipe racchettes are important, you can find them at your local Italian market.
It’s a little early in the season for corn so I use frozen corn. No need to parboil as frozen corn is slightly cooked, just defrost and mix in with salad.
You wanna add more balls? They’re always welcome.
Wine Pairing
Rosado. It is the perfect time for a rosé that has a little more oomph, the April/May winds bring spring but they also sometimes bring a shiver. As rosé that had more body and fruit presence is perfect for this in-between time of year. Longavi’s Glup Rosado is the perfect combo for this pasta salad with a kick. Fresh fruit, some fun herbal notes, gentle, palate coating tannins plus a great depth make this the perfect compliment for any spring day. Enjoy!