It feels like Spring and Summer are around the corner, and Yumi is excited about a pasta salad that can be served warm and has a super-cute, mouth-pleasing texture that may well intern it into the FOREVER FILES.

Based on this recipe, Yumi has halved the quantities to suit her ("Mercifully Divorced") lifestyle and improved it by cooking the corn and adding chopped smoked almonds at the end.

Quick answer to a riddle we don't solve on-air: Creste di Gallo looks like this!

And the book Simon is talking about is The Geometry of Pasta.

SUPER-CUTE PASTA SALAD

• 125g ditalini pasta
• 2 ears fresh corn, shucked and washed
• 1-2 large stalks celery, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tbs finely chopped fresh chives
• roughly chopped smoked almonds (optional)

DRESSING

• Granulated sugar (probs don't need)
• 2 tablespoons white or yellow miso
• 2.5 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon hot hot chilli sauce, minced chipotles in adobo, or gochujang, or sambal oelek
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use Kewpie)

METHOD

Prepare the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together in a tiny bowl or jar.

Prepare the celery by chopping to pieces the same size as the pasta will be when cooked (about the same size as an adult human tooth).

In a large, heavy-based pan, cook the corn until slightly charred.

Boil the pasta to al dente. (Very important not to overcook it or it'll be gross!)

Drain the pasta well then combine the salad ingredients, mix well and pour over the dressing.

Serve immediately with smoked almonds scattered over the top.

LEFTOVERS can be revived with some fresh rocket, tuna, chopped tomato, etc.

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