photo by stacysnacksonline.com

This is a good room temperature pasta salad (it’s good warm too). My kids took the leftovers to school. The technique with cooking the garlic in the pasta water, gives the garlic a softer yet very flavorful addition to the salad.

11 ounces small shell pasta
3 garlic cloves
9 ounces yellow cherry tomatoes
9 ounces cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup black olives, pitted
2 tablespoons fresh chives
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 medium cucumbers
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
7 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.
Add the pasta and garlic and simmer for about 5 minutes or until al dente, and drain.
Put the garlic to one side for the dressing.
Put the pasta in a bowl.
Chop the tomatoes, olives, chives, basil and cucumber into pieces about half the size of the pasta and add to the bowl.
Mash the garlic cloves. Add the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.
Drizzle dressing over the pasta.