ANOTHER PASTA SALAD

This pasta salad has been a favorite of mine for years.


GREEK ROTINI SALAD

6 cups (uncooked) rotini
1 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp oregano
1 oz (26 gr) garlic powder (2 Tbsp + 1 tsp) (according to taste)
2 cups pepper strips (red, green and yellow)
36 black or green olives, pitted
3 cups feta cheese, crumbled
16 radishes, thinly sliced
½ cup green onions, sliced
8 Tbsp parsley, chopped

Cook rotini and rinse in cold water to cool quickly. Do NOT overcook!

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Chill.

In a large serving bowl combine rotini, peppers, olives, feta cheese, radishes, green onions and parsley. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat.

This makes enough to feed quite a few, so when I want to make a smaller batch I use 4 cups of rotini and HALF of all the other ingredients.

SUMMER PASTA SALADS

I don't see cold pasta salads in Italy like I do in the states, and that's a shame. For something quick, cool and filling, a pasta salad is the perfect answer for lunch or dinner when the weather's hot and you don't want to cook. I usually make my pasta salad in the evening when it's cool so that I don't even have to think about boiling a pot of water in midday when it's already too hot. Here are two of our favorite recipes. Either can be enjoyed at room temperature immediately after making, or chilled.

SHELLS WITH RED PESTO -- Conchiglie al Pesto Rosso

• 3/4 pound (320 g) small pasta shells
• 2-3 eggs, hard boiled
• 12 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
• 1 or 2 cans of tuna, drained and shredded
• 12-15 basil leaves, plus more for garnishing
• 2 ounces (50 g) peeled almonds….toasted
• 1 clove garlic
• 10 parsley sprigs
• Extra virgin olive oil

Put the almonds into a food processor together with the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley, garlic, and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Blend, check seasoning, and transfer the sauce to a bowl. Cover and chill.

Cook and drain the pasta. Put it into a bowl with a little olive oil.

Mix the pasta with the sauce and the tuna, top with the sliced hard-boiled egg, garnish with a few more basil leaves and serve.


TORTELLINI SALAD

8 oz (about 2 cups) frozen cheese-filled tortellini
1 1/2 cups broccoli flowerets
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1 medium red or yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin strips

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
¼ tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Cook tortellini according to package directions but do NOT overcook! You don’t want mushy pasta in a pasta salad. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and toss the tortellini, carrot, broccoli and peppers in a large bowl.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a small jar and shake well to mix. Pour over tortellini and vegetables and toss lightly.

PASTA SALAD

Yes, it definitely fall, and maybe pasta salad isn't exactly what you'd prepare, but here in Italy we have to make the most of what we have, when we have it. Broccoli only appears in the spring and the fall, and I LOVE to make a pasta salad with broccoli and carrots, so now's the time! Although I don't care much for cooked broccoli at all, I'll eat it raw, or in stir fry, and since we plan to drive around tomorrow in search of the new olive oil, I thought a pasta salad with broccoli would make for a great picnic lunch along the way. For those of you in the states, maybe this would be a good tailgate dish.

PASTA SALAD WITH BROCCOLI

16 oz rotini, cooked al dente
1 head broccoli
3 carrots
1 medium red onion, or 3-4 green onions
½ cup crumbled bacon bits
½ cup shaved parmesan
Ranch Dressing…1½-2 cups**

Make sure to cook the past al dente….so that it’s still firm, NOT mushy!

Finely chop the carrots and broccoli stalks with the onion(s) in a food processor. Cut the broccoli florets into bite-size pieces.

Put everything except the Ranch dressing into a large bowl. Add the dressing to suit your taste and season well with freshly ground black pepper.

If there are any leftovers, and if the salad seems a little dry, just add a little more milk to moisten things up.

**Because this recipe uses no other spices, I prefer to make the ranch dressing from scratch, using powdered ranch dressing mix. I use slightly more mix than the recipe calls for, and slightly less milk to make the dressing just a little thicker.

I used: 4 heaping Tbps dressing mix
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup mayo
Milk to desired consistency

After that you just have to play with the proportions to suit yourself.