Name: Pasta Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 60 ml olive oil; 30 ml lemon juice; 4 teaspoons dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon salt; black pepper; 300 g fusilli; 2000 ml water; 1 teaspoon salt; 250 g cherry tomatoes; 200 g mozzarella; 80 g black olives; 1 pc red onion; 1 handful basil; 1 handful rocket

Step by step process

Preparing the Vegetables

1
Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the red onion into thin half-moons, and drain the olives. Cut the mozzarella into cubes or carefully tear into smaller pieces. Pluck the basil into larger leaves, rinse the arugula with cold water, and let it drain well.
2
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and freshly ground pepper until you have a smooth emulsion. This dressing gives the salad a fresh flavor and prevents the pasta from sticking together.

Cooking the Pasta

3
Bring 2 liters of water to a boil in a large pot and add a teaspoon of salt. Add the pasta (such as fusilli) to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions until al dente, usually 8-10 minutes. The pasta should be tender but still firm to the bite.
TIP:
Cook the pasta in sufficiently salted boiling water according to the instructions so that it is soft but still firm to the bite (al dente). This will give you better flavor and a pleasant texture.
4
Drain the cooked pasta in a colander and briefly rinse with cold water to cool it down and stop the cooking process. Immediately transfer to a large bowl, toss with the first spoonful of dressing (to prevent sticking), and let cool for a few minutes at room temperature.
TIP:
After cooking, immediately drain the pasta and quickly rinse it under cold running water. This stops the cooking process, removes excess starch, and prevents sticking, keeping the pasta firm and well separated.

Serving

5
Add the prepared tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, onion, basil, and arugula to the cooled pasta. Pour over the remaining dressing and mix thoroughly so all ingredients are coated and seasoned. Every part of the salad should be well flavored.
6
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve either chilled straight from the fridge or at room temperature. This pasta salad is ideal for lunchboxes, picnics, or as a light summer dinner.