Mediterranean pasta salad with arugula

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 250 g pasta (e.g. tortiglioni, rigatoni)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 200 g cherry tomatoes
• 100 g black olives, pitted
• 10 balls of mini mozzarella
• 1 onion(s)
• 6 tomatoes, dried in oil
• 125 ml tomato juice
• 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar bianco (white balsamic vinegar)
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bunch arugula
• some salt and pepper
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Rest time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

Cook the pasta and peeled garlic cloves in plenty of boiling salted water according to the package instructions, then drain, reserving the garlic for the dressing. Rinse the pasta briefly and drain well. Wash and halve the cherry tomatoes. Drain the black olives and mini mozzarella balls. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes in oil and cut into small pieces. Finely dice the onion and finely chop the garlic from the cooking water. Mix both with the tomato juice, white balsamic vinegar, a little salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Whisk in the olive oil and season the dressing to taste. Mix with the pasta, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes in oil, mozzarella balls, and black olives, and let the salad marinate for 20 minutes. Trim, wash, and spin dry the arugula. Stir it into the pasta salad just before serving. Note: The arugula is an absolute must! Without it, it’s just a regular pasta salad, nothing special. With the nutty flavor of arugula, it’s a dream!