Tapenade Pasta Salad¶
 Serves |
 Total Time |
|---|---|
| 8 to 10 | 34 minutes |
Ingredients¶
- 1 salt
- 1.5 cups pitted kalamata olives
- 1 finely grated or minced garlic clove
- 0.5 tsp fresh thyme leaves or dried herbes de Provence
- 1 tsp crushed fennel seeds
- 1 finely grated zest of lemon
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 0.33 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lbs short pasta such as farfalle
- 0.5 lbs halved crosswise green beans
- 3 cups pasta cooking water
- 0.5 cup fresh basil leaves
- 0.33 cup shaved ricotta salata (optional)
- 1 freshly ground black pepper
Cookware¶
- 1 pot
- 1 bowl of a food processor
- 1 bowl
Instructions¶
Step 1¶
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil.
Step 2¶
Make the tapenade: Place the pitted kalamata olives, finely grated or minced garlic clove, fresh thyme leaves or dried herbes de Provence, crushed fennel seeds, finely grated zest of lemon, and red wine vinegar in the bowl of a food processor. Blitz until the olives are broken down, but not into a paste. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and pulse once to combine. Scrape into a large bowl and set aside.
Step 3¶
Prepare the pasta: Boil short pasta such as farfalle for 4 minutes before adding the halved crosswise green beans, then continue to cook until the pasta is slightly shy of al dente and a little too firm to eat (the timing will range depending on the brand you're using). Reserve pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and green beans. Tip the pasta and beans into the bowl with the tapenade, add 2 cups of the pasta water, and toss to combine.
Step 4¶
Stir the pasta from time to time as it cools to room temperature, 30 minutes. Taste it. If it starts to look a little dry, add another splash of pasta water, or vinegar if it needs more acid.
Step 5¶
Tear in the fresh basil leaves, sprinkle over the shaved ricotta salata (optional) and top with freshly ground black pepper just before serving, ideally at room temperature.
Source¶
- NYT Cooking (Clare de Boer)