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When we asked the brilliant Ed from The Monday Pasta Club to create these beautiful dishes for our Summer Served photo shoot, we had no idea we'd all be spending quite so much time in the garden this year. Perfect for entertaining indoors or out, these recipes make the most of fresh, seasonal ingredients. They come together to create a fantastic vegetarian feast, while many also make excellent sides for a barbecue.
As well as looking and tasting incredible, they're surprisingly easy to make – ideal for those hot summer days when you've had your fill of picky bits but still want something fresh, satisfying and full of flavour. And don't miss the pavlova: it's a show-stopping dessert that's well worth mastering before the August bank holiday.
Lemon, Pecorino, Basil & Watercress Pasta Salad
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
- 400g short pasta (fusilli, orecchiette or farfalle)
- 60g basil
- 2 large handfuls watercress
- 80g pecorino, finely grated
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 garlic clove
- 70ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts or almonds
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Cook the pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse briefly under cool water.
- To make the pesto, blend basil, garlic, pine nuts, pecorino, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil until smooth. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.
- Toss the cooled pasta with the pesto until evenly coated.
- Fold through the watercress just before serving so it stays fresh and peppery.
- Finish with extra pecorino, black pepper and chilli flakes if you like.
Sundried Tomato Orzo Salad with Burrata & Crispy Basil
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 300g orzo
- 150g sundried tomatoes
- 3 tbsp oil from the jar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 small garlic clove
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 handfuls rocket or spinach
- 1 burrata
- Fresh basil
- Salt and black pepper
Crispy Basil
- 1 small handful basil leaves
- Neutral oil, for frying
Method
- Cook the orzo in salted water until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- In a blender, combine sundried tomatoes, their oil, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic and lemon juice. Blend into a thick dressing-like paste. Loosen with a splash of water or olive oil if needed.
- Toss the cooled orzo with the sundried tomato mixture until evenly coated.
- Fold through the rocket or spinach and a few torn basil leaves.
- For the crispy basil, heat a shallow layer of oil in a small pan. Fry the basil leaves for 5–10 seconds until crisp, then transfer to kitchen paper and sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Spoon the orzo onto a platter and top with torn burrata.
- Finish with the crispy basil, extra black pepper, smoked paprika and a drizzle of olive oil.
Strawberry & Balsamic Pavlova
Serves 6
Ingredients
Pavlova
- 4 egg whites
- 220g caster sugar
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
Topping
- 300ml double cream
- 400g strawberries, halved
- 1–2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- Mint leaves
Method
- Whisk egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add sugar until glossy.
- Fold in cornflour and vinegar.
- Spoon onto a lined tray into a large circle with a slight dip in the middle.
- Bake at 120°C for 1 hour 15 minutes, then cool completely in the oven.
- Toss strawberries with balsamic and icing sugar.
- Whip cream softly and spread over the pavlova.
- Top with strawberries and mint.
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Offering weekday supper inspiration to more than 77,000 followers, @themondaypastaclub is the creation of Ed Burrows. Raised in Somerset, Ed trained as a chef in Edinburgh before working as a pastry chef at Gleneagles Hotel and later as a baker at Bristol's much-loved Ahh Toots.
Although he began his career in pastry, pasta has always been his first love. In 2020, he started The Monday Pasta Club by sharing a photo of his Monday night dinner each week. What began as a simple ritual has grown into a thriving online community for pasta lovers, leading to the publication of his first cookbook in 2024.
Today, alongside creating weekly recipes online, Ed hosts supper clubs and private dining experiences across the UK. In 2026, he launched STACKED, The Monday Pasta Club's first product: a seasonal, cook-at-home lasagne that changes every month to celebrate the very best seasonal ingredients, bringing restaurant-quality comfort food to homes across the UK.