Ricotta and Fresh Tomato Pasta Salad

I finally got back to Italy for the summer and, consequently, I get to enjoy my forever favorite food: fresh tomatoes!

We managed to crop 40 plants of tomatoes in our garden in many different varieties. I'm ready to try new recipes with this juicy, sweet and low FODMAP veggie (in the right amount!)

As you know, summer can become challenging in Italy and I cannot stand hot pasta when we experience 90+ degrees. Therefore, I mostly prepare pasta salads in order to fulfill my Italianness and avoid heating the kitchen unnecessarily. Fun fact, my family makes air conditioning machines, and we hate A/C!

I hopped to the garden and proudly collected my sweated tomatoes. I mixed them with one the freshest cheese we always have in our fridge, a creamy lactose-free ricotta along with lactose-free mozzarella, few walnuts, olive oil, olives and sun-dried tomatoes.

The ideal situation would be to prepare this dish in advance, even the day before, for the reason that it gives its best when you let it sit with the sauce for some hours.

It's impossible to describe this divine creamy sauce without trying it.

Buon appetito!

Makes: 3 servings
Serving size: a plate each
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients for ricotta and fresh tomatoes pasta salad:

• 12oz of pasta, I used sedanini
• 1 tablespoon of coarse salt
• 4 oz of lactose-free ricotta
• 5 oz of fresh roma tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of pitted olives
• 5 sun-dried tomatoes
• 5 walnuts
• 5 basil leaves + to garnish
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 oz of lactose-free mozzarella

Directions for ricotta and fresh tomatoes pasta salad:

1. Put a pot of water to boil
2. Once boiling, add the coarse salt, add the pasta and set the timer for a couple of minutes before of those indicated on the packaging
3. In the meantime add most of the tomatoes into a mixer bowl along with ricotta, olives and sun-dried tomatoes and mix with a blender until creamy
4. Once it's creamy add basil and the walnuts
5. Mix again until creamy
6. Dice the lactose-free mozzarella and the rest of the tomatoes
7. Once the pasta is cooked, remove some water pasta with a cup and keep it on a side
8. Drain the pasta
9. Add the olive oil to the pasta, mix it and let it rest on a flat surface in order for it to cool down
10. As soon as it's cooled, add the sauce and if needed, add some pasta water to thin the sauce
11. Mix it all the ingredients together and add some fresh basil to garnish.