With the sun starting to peek through, Piccolo serve up a family-friendly spring pasta salad recipe for the new season.
Now that we’re heading into spring (can you believe it!?) our friends at Piccolo have brought us another fresh, veg-packed pasta salad, perfect for putting a spring in your step this March.
This recipe is an ideal make-ahead for a picnic or packed lunch, so just what we need as the sun starts to come out, even if we can only enjoy it in our gardens for the time being!
It’s also a fantastic option for the whole family to share, so no doubling up on meals for the baby and the rest of you – and you can enjoy it alongside your choice of meat, fish or mixed salads.
Makes: 6-8 servings
Suitable from: 12 months (without salt)
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
- 250g uncooked, medium-size pasta
- 2 slices of bread to make toasted bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter; melted
- 6 slices bacon cooked crisp (can be omitted to make this veggie or suitable for younger children)
- 1 head iceberg lettuce washed and chopped
- ½ red pepper, washed, deseeded and finely chopped
- 100g red and yellow cherry tomatoes washed & halved
- 100g frozen peas, cooked
- handful of basil, torn
- 60g feta, cubed
- For the sauce
- 50g mayonnaise
- 50g full fat natural yoghurt
- ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve a little pasta water and drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, cook the bacon, chop the lettuce, halve the tomatoes, chop the red pepper and cook the peas, then make the breadcrumbs.
- To make the breadcrumbs, tear the bread apart into smaller chunks and place in a food processor. Process the bread until it is in small-medium sized crumbs.
- Place the breadcrumbs into a medium bowl and add the melted butter. Mix together until the butter is well incorporated. Toast in the oven on 200C for 10-15 minutes until toasted to your liking.
- To make the sauce, a medium mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, paprika, and black pepper; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the drained pasta, half the breadcrumbs, half the crispy bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and sauce.
- Toss to mix and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve.
- To serve, if needed add the reserved pasta water to loosen the salad. Sprinkle with reserved breadcrumbs, bacon, the torn basil and feta cubes and season with salt & pepper to taste.
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