Pasta salad with vegetables and almonds

The recipe is very simple but requires a couple of special ingredients that I recommend you get because we'll also use them in many other recipes (you can find them in any natural or organic food store): organic soy sauce and rice malt.

Soy sauce (or shoyu), if labeled organic, is not only made with non-GMO soy, but also indicates that it is produced using the traditional method, that is, through a fermentation process lasting over a year. This makes it not only a tasty condiment, but also rich in enzymes and useful for aiding digestion. (If you are wheat intolerant, use Tamari, a gluten-free soy sauce, but check for the crossed-out ear of wheat first.)

Rice malt is a natural sweetener made from grains and is the best natural sweetener in cooking (along with dried or fresh fruit). It's recommended because it tastes less sweet than sugar or other sweeteners, thus accustoming our palate and brain to a less intense sweetness. Sweetness (sugar) is addictive, which is why we sometimes feel like we can't do without it. Finally, it has a lower percentage of simple sugars (about 50%), so it's metabolized more slowly.

But now let's get to work with the pasta because after preparing it I recommend waiting a few hours before eating it, so the flavors blend and it becomes better, making it perfect for a picnic or for lunch during the week!

• 250g Senatore Cappelli pasta presses
• 1 courgette
• 1 carrot
• 150g green beans
• 1 onion
• 30 pitted olives in brine
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Whole sea salt
• 1.5 tablespoons flaked almonds
• 1.5 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons of Shoyu - soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 2 tablespoons of rice malt
• 1.5 teaspoons mustard

• Put a pot of water on the stove.
• Clean the green beans and cook them until they are soft but still crunchy, then drain them.
• Cut the onion into half-moons and sauté it in a pan with oil and a pinch of salt, then add the diced green beans.
• Coarsely grate the carrot and courgette (avoiding the soft, seeded inner part).
• Toast the almonds and sesame seeds separately in a pan
• Prepare the sauce by emulsifying all the ingredients with the help of a fork.
• Cook the pasta and check it 1-2 minutes before the time indicated on the package; taste it; once cooked, drain and immediately rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
• In a large bowl, combine the pasta, green beans, remaining vegetables, and roughly chopped pitted olives. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss until evenly combined. Garnish with seeds and toasted almonds for a crunchy finish.
• Leave the pasta to marinate for a couple of hours in the fridge or at room temperature covered with cling film.

• For a spicy note, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of fresh ginger juice (wash a 2-3 cm piece of ginger root and grate it on the fine side, then squeeze the pulp to extract the juice)
• For a more vibrant flavour, you can add some finely chopped fresh spring onion to the sauce.
• This sauce is very versatile and can also be used to season salads or steamed vegetables, a tasty idea for using little oil.