Summer days make us long for fresh flavors and in our neck of the woods, that’s not hard to come by. Hopping in the car and even taking a quick drive you’ll pass roadside peach stands, veggie stands, and fresh picked corn on the cob. This time of year in Ohio boasts a lot of local produce and it’s the best time to make some of our favorite recipes.
This week’s recipe is a spin on a classic Italian salad, the humble five-ingredient Caprese Pasta Salad! A traditional Caprese Salad is either stacked or layered with fresh tomato slices, whole milk mozzarella, and ribbons of fresh basil all drizzled with high quality balsamic vinegar and first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. Topped with a little cracked pepper and Himalayan salt and you’ve got yourself a simple summer salad.
We kicked this salad up a notch with our Old Fashioned Pot Pie Squares to make it a complete meal.
We recommend making this Caprese pasta salad a day ahead and letting it chill in the fridge so the noodles really soak up the dressing – add more just before serving if you feel it’s too dry. And if you’re feeling really exploratory, try heating this in a sauté pan and giving it a toss.
