Zucchini Pasta Salad with sun dried tomato pesto, black olives, capers and basil

Zucchini Pasta Salad with sun dried tomato pesto, black olives, capers and basil

Serves 4

 A flavorful Mediterranean pasta salad with healthy zucchini pasta

This salad can be served as an appetizer or as a main course. For a warm “pasta dish” heat the dressed noodles in a double broiler until warm to touch (40 degrees maximum) so you will retain all the nutrients. For a variation, swap the tomato pesto with a fresh basil pesto.

The salad is best eaten fresh right after tossing all ingredients together. The sun dried tomato pesto will keep well in the chiller with a thin layer of olive oil poured over the top to preserve it.

Ingredients

Zucchini pasta:

• 4 big zucchinis
• 4 medium tomatoes, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons sun dried black olives, pitted and chopped
• 2 tablespoons salted capers, chopped
• 1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, chopped

Spicy sun dried tomato pesto:

• 1 cup raw sun dried tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon garlic 4 fresh chilies, minced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 cup organic cold pressed olive oil
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon chili paste (or harissa paste, sambal oelek (ground chili sambal) or similar)

Preparation

1. To make the noodles, slice the zucchini around the seeds on a mandolin into thin long julienne, or instead use a spiralizer to make zucchini spaghetti. Note: both of these kitchen tools are usually available in good kitchenware or Japanese shops.

2. For the sun dried tomato pesto, soak the tomatoes in warm water until soft. Drain them and process all the pesto ingredients together in a food processor.

3. Prepare all the remaining ingredients in a big mixing bowl. Add the drained zucchini spaghetti and 1/2 cup of the sun dried tomato pesto. Mix and serve immediately, or warm over a double broiler.

Copyright © 2009 by Felix Schoener