Farfalle, Avocado, Pesto, and the endless combinations

Our friend Sarah was probably the most faithful attendee to our college dinner parties. A proud devotee of the bay-area lifestyle, Sarah exudes a love of long outdoor jogs and fresh California vegetables. Her reverence for avocados borders on worship. To satisfy our best customer's yen for avocado (and also to utilize the ingredients that she so generously supplied) we developed this variation on pasta salad. Like Sarah, it is healthy, satisfying, infinitely variable, and can be adapted to formal and informal contexts alike.

The fundamental elements of this dish are pasta, avocado, and pesto. Use a small pasta - farfalle is best, but penne or rigatoni will work - to match the other ingredients in size.When it has been cooked and drained, toss it liberally with pesto. Pesto provides plenty of oil and salt here, so taste before adding more of either. Finally, chop the avocado in chunks about half the size of a farfalla and stir them vigorously in to the pasta while it is still warm. The heat from the pasta will soften the avocado so that as you mix the dish becomes creamy (without ever adding actual cream!). This is healthy-food substitution magic!

In addition to these three elements, there are countless exciting additions that add pizzazz to the dish and tailor it to the particular occasion (kind of like Sarah adding accessories to her outfits). Asparagus spears can be chopped into 3-inch sections, then blanched for no more than 2 minutes in a saucepan of boiling water and thrown into the mix. The crispiness of appropriately cooked asparagus contrasts perfectly with the softness of avocado and adds a fresh flair. It is perfect for Springtime picnics or lunches on the patio.

I believe strongly in balancing the color of a dish. If you look at it an feel a hue is missing, a flavor is probably missing as well. With that in mind, I like to add warm-colored vegetables to this dish. Sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and chili flakes all go well with the otherwise soft-toned palate.

Speaking of warm hues, this should definitely be served with red wine. We were pleased with the Neprica that we served with it, and also had success with a red zinfandel.

Depending on the amount and potency of the cheese in your pesto, additional cheese can be added as a topping. Like the avocado, this will melt into the warm pasta when stirred, adding to the overall creaminess of each bite.

This pasta shines best at a casual lunch, and is a go-to for potlucks or garden parties. It is great to prepare on steamy summer days because it requires very little cooking, so your kitchen will not turn in to a sauna - your guests will appreciate this! Because of its unrefined appearance this should not be the centerpiece of anything formal, but can certainly serve as the main course for a dinner among friends. This is a vegetable dish that does not feel like it is lacking meat, so vegetarians and carnivores can enjoy it together. If your diet-conscious friends are resistant to eating pasta, remind them that there is very little fat besides the natural omegas from the avocado, while all those vegetables are packed with nutrients!

Serve in a bowl. If you find the dish lacking in kick, sautee chopped garlic in olive oil and pour some over each bowl. Refill many times. Refresh your palate with a sip of wine after every bite.