sweetcorn pasta salad

It’s not often Miss G. becomes fanatical about her food but of late our little miss has become utterly obsessed with sweet corn.

Each and every time I make my way into the kitchen and stand at the bench I hear the chants of a toddler demanding ‘corn, corn, corn’ pacing incessantly behind me.

So not to disappoint (or more importantly to avoid the dreaded terrible toddler terror tantrum) I’ve managed to work the bright yellow kernels of sunshine sweetness into most meals of late and this sweetcorn pasta salad is our favourite corn incarnation by far.

Not only is this gorgeously zesty salad chock full of nutritious goodness but it couldn’t be simpler to prepare.  It can be on the table and ready to devour in the time it takes to boil a little pasta and stored in an air tight container nestled in the fridge this salad is just as wonderful the next day.

Although Miss G. concentrates most of her eating efforts on the corn and pasta, she also manages to gobble up a good amount of fresh tomato, cucumber and mint as well, making for a very happy mummy.

To create this gorgeously fresh and zesty sweetcorn pasta salad simply…

Start by bringing a large pot of water to the boil.  Add orecchiette (or any short pasta you have on hand) and cook according to packet instructions or until aldente.  Drain and rinse under cool water.

Pop the cooked pasta into a large mixing bowl along with the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and zest and mix to combine.

Chop a punnet of cherry tomatoes into quarters and dice half a lebanese cucumber.  NOTE: For little ones not yet using a spoon; chop the cherry tomatoes in half and the cucumber into long chip shaped rectangles (this will make the vegetables easier for your little one to grip).

Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sweet corn and mint to the pasta and mix to combine.

Dot a little ricotta on each serve and enjoy x

sweetcorn pasta salad

INGREDIENTS

500 grams orecchiette or other short pasta (penne is great for little ones just beginning their blw journey – its super easy to grip and nibble on)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

zest and juice 1 lemon

1 punnet of cherry tomatoes (quartered for little ones self feeding using a spoon OR cut in half for little ones still using hands)

half a lebanese cucumber (diced for little ones self feeding using a spoon OR cut into long chip shaped rectangles for little ones still using hands)

1 cup mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups sweet corn kernels

1/2 cup ricotta

METHOD

Bring a large pot of water to the boil.  Add pasta and cook according to packet instructions or until aldente.  Drain and rinse under cool water.  Place the cooked pasta into a large mixing bowl along with the olive oil, lemon juice and zest and mix to combine.  Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, mint and corn kernels and mix to combine.  To serve, dot each portion with a little ricotta and enjoy x

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