There are those who stay away from spicy dishes in the summer and those, like us, who just can’t do without it. Just don't go overboard! When temperatures rise, in fact, we are more sensitive to the feeling of heat from spices like chili. Meaning you find yourself thirsty, sweaty and fatigued. No, thank you. Let's leave the spice for winter… for now, it's a question of adding some character to typical summer dishes like pasta salad. That way, it will taste better no matter the weather!
Fresh chili peppers
One of our favorite ways to add the perfect spice to cold pasta salad is, you guessed it, fresh chili pepper! Clean it, remove the seeds, chop it into very small pieces, and mix it with other ingredients after cutting it into very small cubes.To avoid overdoing it, taste is key! Taste a small piece of each pepper; each one has different spice levels.
Dry chili peppers
In this case, we are faced with a more intense ingredient that we usually add during the cooking process. We can also use it with raw ingredients, but it’s always better to prepare a sauce in advance so the ingredients mix well together. Vegetables, tuna, cheese, cherry tomatoes, a pinch of chili pepper and extra-virgin olive oil. This dish has a little bit of everything!
Spicy oil
This is the easiest way to prepare a spicy, cold pasta. Easy to use and always available, olive oil with a little extra spice can be served at the table to complete any dish. Let the diners choose if they want spice or not!
Chili peppers in oil
Chili peppers in oil are also a very tasty way to enjoy some spice, and you can even find them stuffed with tuna at the store. Sliced thin and mixed with seasoned pasta, this is a perfect, spicy and aromatic touch to a simple dish (without too much heat).
Spicy sauce
The sauce we suggest is tabasco: a few drops will transform your dish. If you don’t have any on hand, though, you can also use spicy ketchup, chili sauces like Sriracha or some of the more intense varieties of mustard. Again, don't overdo it!