Quick and easy, this colourful summer pasta dish is perfect for when you don’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 400g tagliatelle or fettuccine
- 4 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers, chopped
- 415g can red salmon or tuna, flaked, or cold roasted or chargrilled meats
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
Method
- Step 1Cook pasta according to packet directions or until al dente (approx 12 min). Drizzle with olive oil and allow to cool.
- Step 2Meanwhile mix olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Step 3Combine cold pasta, tuna or cold meat, cucumber and tomatoes in a bowl. Pour over olive oil dressing.
- Low sugar
Nutrition
2642 kj
Energy
22g
Fat Total
4g
Saturated Fat
5g
Fibre
30g
Protein
60mg
Cholesterol
334.53mg
Sodium
5g
Carbs (sugar)
75g
Carbs (total)
Notes
Top tips: If using cold roasted or chargrilled meats such as lamb or beef, marinate the meat first. After draining the meat, boil the marinade for 5 minutes and use as a dressing over the pasta. Or you can make a simple dressing of lemon juice and olive oil.
When working with cold pasta, there is a tendency for it to stick together on cooling so you need to add a little olive oil once you’ve drained it to prevent this. In addition, let it cool at room temperature rather than placing it in the fridge.
When choosing vegetables and fruits, choose some that have high water content such as tomatoes, cucumber or citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons, etc, as their juice helps keep the cold pasta separated and provides a more palatable texture.
When using canned fish such as salmon or tuna, don’t throw away the juice. Instead, add it to the pasta for extra flavour and again to help keep the pasta from becoming too sticky.
- Author: Victoria Hansen
- Image credit: Mark O'Meara
- Publication: Fresh Living