Avocado and Orange Pasta Salad

Try substituting the olive oil with hazelnut or walnut oil to add a subtle nutty flavour to the dressing. Use any pasta you like.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 6  ounces bow tie pasta
• 2  medium oranges
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1  medium avocado
• 1⁄2 ounce pine nuts, toasted
•  salt, and freshly ground
•  black pepper

Directions

1. Cook the pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water for 8 -1 0 minutes or until al dente. Rinse well with cold water and drain thoroughly.
2. Place in a salad bowl.
3. Peel the oranges, carefully removing all the pith. Segment the oranges over a bowl to catch the juices and add the segments to the pasta.
4. Mix the oil and wine vinegar with the reserved orange juice and season with salt and pepper. Carefully spoon the dressing.
5. into the pasta, stirring gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavours to develop.
6. just before serving, peel, quarter and thickly slice the avocado and gently fold it into the pasta. Sprinkle with the toasted pine kernels and serve immediately.
7. Cook's note: Sprinkle the sliced avocado with lemon juice to prevent it turning brown.
8. Variations: Replace the pine kernels with 2 tablespoons of bacon bits.