If you are of a certain age, you may recall when sun-dried tomatoes were ubiquitous. This was way back in the last century, mid 80’s to mid 90’s. They became so mainstream that they found their way into bagels and cream cheese, wheat thin crackers, flour tortillas and potato chips. They got abused and ultimately there was backlash and they disappeared from our pantries.

I’m on a mission to bring them back. They are little flavour bombs, packed with umami and during most of the year, when tomatoes are sadly lacking in flavour, sun dried tomatoes have a place at the table.

I learned a version of this recipe at one of my very first professional cooking jobs. I was working in an upscale take-out food shop in Toronto’s Yorkville area called Dinah’s Cupboard. I learned so much from Dinah Koo, the shop’s owner. She demanded perfection and precision. She cooked with big flavours and was a master at presentation. I am forever grateful to her for teaching me so much.

It was my job to make a vat of this cold pasta salad every morning. The original recipe called for angel hair pasta, and there were no fresh tomatoes or olives in it. It was one of the most popular items in the shop and sold out every single day. Unlike most pasta salads, which are insipid in seasoning, this salad is an umami flavour bomb, owing to the sun-dried tomatoes and asiago cheese.

My mom, all my sisters and my sister-in-law made and served this at every family get together during this era. Eventually, we all got sick of this salad and it was retired from the rotation. I made it again, last summer, for the first time in 25 years, and everyone was so excited to taste it again.

It’s a perfect dish to make ahead for entertaining. I would suggest adding the fresh basil and pine nuts just before serving, but the rest of the salad keeps very well in the fridge for several days.

Tips for success:

• Cook the pasta for 2-3 minutes less than the package recommends. The spaghetti will continue to soften as it sits in the sun dried tomato pesto.
• Use oil packed sun dried tomatoes for the best flavour.
• Try to seek out asiago cheese. It is widely available now and has a pungent flavour that is hard to replicate.
• Please, toast your pine nuts!! Untoasted nuts have the texture of sawdust and will ruin the dish.
• Add fresh basil and pine nuts just before serving.

Click here to print recipe for Spaghetti with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Asiago and Pine Nuts.