Italian salad recipe

Ingredients

• 8 oz (225 g) dried conchiglie
• 1¾ oz (50 g) pine nuts
• 12 oz (350 g) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size chunks
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 7 oz (200 g) buffalo mozzarella, cubed
• 12 black olives, pitted
• 1 oz (25 g) fresh basil leaves
• shavings of fresh Parmesan cheese, to garnish
• crusty bread, to serve

• 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or according to the package instructions. When cooked, the pasta should be tender but still firm to the bite. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and drain again. Let cool.
2. While the pasta is cooking, put the pine nuts in a dry skillet and cook over low heat for 1–2 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the heat, transfer to a dish, and let cool.
3. To make the dressing, put the oil, vinegar, and basil into a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir together well. Cover with plastic wrap and set to one side.
4. To assemble the salad, divide the pasta among serving bowls. Add the pine nuts, tomatoes, red bell pepper, onion, cheese, and olives. Scatter over the basil leaves, then drizzle over the dressing. Garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese shavings and serve with crusty bread.