Pasta Caprese (pasta salad with mozzarella, sundried tomatoes and basil)

Click on the link below to cook this with children!

This salad is a go-to salad for my daughter (aged 7) to make for us for a meal.  And, for a child who is sensitive to strong flavours, I think that the milk creaminess of the mozzarella is appealing.  She loves getting together the ingredients together and assembling/presenting the dish.  The better quality the ingredient, the better it will taste.

Make extra and save the pasta for another salad the next day.

Ingredients (serves 4 small portions):

Cooked pasta (any type that takes your fancy), 300g (11oz), cooled.

5-10 sundried tomatoes, chopped

1 or 2 balls of mozzarella

5 basil leaves, torn

3 tbsp olive oil

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1.  Pour the olive oil (you can use the oil from the sundried tomato jar) into the pasta and mix.

2.  Tear the mozzarella into the pasta.

3.  Add the chopped tomatoes and basil and season.

4.  Mix and eat or store in the fridge.

Lemon juice and olives could also be added.  The authentic 'caprese' recipes differs, I imagine, from region to region in Italy, and omits the pasta or olives.  However, this is an excellent take on it and on getting a balanced meal in one plate.

Free download! Do you want to cook this recipe with your children? Click here to download a recipe and activity sheet especially designed for children to read and have fun with cooking.