Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

[ridhisheth]

INGREDIENTS
4 cups uncooked spiral pasta (use rice pasta for wheat-free version)
1 cup fresh basil pesto
2 Tbsp chopped green olives, or olive tapenade
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted (or fresh if you can get them)
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
Several fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
METHOD
1 Cook pasta according to instructions on the package. Make sure the water is salted (at least a half teaspoon per quart). Remove pasta from heat and strain when pasta is cooked, but still firm (al dente).
2 Put pasta in a big bowl. Mix in fresh basil pesto, green olives, and pine nuts. Gently mix in cherry tomatoes, peas, fresh basil leaves and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill or serve at room temperature.
Yield: Serves 6-8.