Libby Klein I wrote you the loveliest post about this Pasta salad and somehow lost the entire thing. This is a pared-down version of the original - which was a delight - because I'm busy throwing a fit over the lost hour I spent. Try to enjoy it in the spirit it was intended. Pasta Salad can be whatever you want it to be. All it takes is three things. 1. Pasta - any kind you like. I used this gluten-free rotini I found at Whole Foods and it was amazing. 2. Fresh Veggies or Fruits. 3. Dressing - vinaigrette is traditional but you can make it whatever you want. One of these days I'll make a dessert Pasta Salad. What would you put in your pasta salad? Let me know in the comments.
Libby's Summer Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
12 oz cooked Pasta
1 cup chopped colorful cherry tomatoes
1 chopped yellow pepper
1 chopped orange pepper
1 sliced scallions
1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
1 ear fresh corn, steamed and de-cobbed (is de-cobbed a word?)
Dressing:
1 cup of good quality olive oil - if it doesn't get thick in the fridge be very afraid
1/3 cup of nice vinegar - I used orange blossom vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pink salt
Sweeten to taste - I used 1 tsp liquid stevia
1 Tbsp herbs - I went with an Italian blend
Directions:
Cook Pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, set aside. A word about gluten-free pasta - In my opinion, a blend of rice with other grains like corn or quinoa will always have a better texture than rice pasta alone. Gluten-free pasta has come a long way. It used to feel like you were eating a rubber hose. This brand from Whole Foods held it's texture even after tossing it with the veggies and dressing.
Chop all vegetables and toss them together in your mixing bowl. Add the pasta on top. Gently combine.
Put all dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight lid or a single-cup blender. Mix together and pour over the pasta salad. Toss gently to combine. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Serve chilled, but remove the pasta salad from the fridge a few minutes before serving so the olive oil has time to melt down. If your olive oil stays liquidy in the fridge you need to be very afraid. Gently toss again to re-dress the pasta.
Poppy McAllister discovers that gluten-free Halloweens can scare up another case of murder in the latest installment of this delightful culinary B&B mystery series! - Kirkus Reviews
Poppy is none too pleased when her B&B is coerced into participating in the Cape May Haunted Dinners Tour during Halloween season. Though her knack for finding dead bodies has given the place a spooky reputation, the Murder House is a completely undeserved nickname. At least it used to be . . .
While Poppy wrangles with some guests who can’t stop squabbling with each other—including a paranormal researcher, a very quirky pet psychic who freaks out her portly Persian, and an undercover tabloid reporter eager to catch her staff in a lie—one of them winds up facedown in a plate of tiramisu. And now she has bigger worries than getting her house TP’d . . .
Includes Recipes from Poppy’s Kitchen!
classes revolved mostly around the Culinary sciences and Drama, with one brilliant semester in Poly-Sci that may have been an accident. She loves to drink coffee, bake gluten-free goodies, collect fluffy cats, and translate sarcasm for people who are too serious. She writes from her Northern Virginia office where she serves a very naughty black smoke Persian named Sir Figaro Newton. You can keep up with her shenanigans by signing up for her Mischief and Mayhem Newsletter on her website. www.LibbyKleinBooks.com/Newsletter/
Sorry about the lost post Libby--we've all been there! What does happen to not so good olive oil in the fridge?
ReplyDeleteOlive oil has a low freeze point so it gets cloudy and solid in the refrigerator. Low quality seed oils like canola, soybean, and safflower have higher freeze points so they stay liquid when refrigerated. That's why salad dressing is usually made with these oils. If your olive oil stays liquid and clear in the fridge, it has been cut with another oil.
DeleteThat's a great introduction to the mysteries of pasta salad, Libby! But why should we be afraid of olive oil that doesn't get thick in the fridge? Lee
ReplyDeleteOlive oil is one of the biggest fraudulent foods coming into the US next to honey. Olive oil has a low freeze point so it gets cloudy and solid in the refrigerator. Low quality seed oils like canola, soybean, and safflower have higher freeze points so they stay liquid when refrigerated. That's why salad dressing is usually made with these oils. If your olive oil stays liquid and clear in the fridge, it has been cut with another oil.
DeleteLIBBY: I made a similar pasta salad last night. I also added leftover marinated artichoke hearts, canned chickpeas and frozen basil pesto.
ReplyDeleteThose sound like great additions. That gluten free pasta was absolutely amazing! But - after a few days the noodles did get stiff like they were losing moisture. Next time I won't make as much at one time.
DeleteThank you for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteThis time of year, for me it's what is producing well in the garden - tomatoes, peppers, corn, okra, onions. Hubby's not a big pasta salad eater so I'm thrilled that this is the type thing that you can make a little (for myself) or a lot (when going to a potluck dinner).
Boy, can I understand the frustration of the computer gremlins making something disappear. It's usually just before you would have saved it too and never when you first get started.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
I love putting fresh corn on all my summer salads. It's one of my favorite summer foods.
DeleteAfter 2 hours of working on the post I was fit to be tied. That's what I get for typing my recipe straight to the blog.
Thank you, Libby for this summery and delicious pasta salad recipe! I will make it and will be thinking about you and Poppy's adventures. I am amazed at the gluten free Fusilli. What a blessing to have gluten free pastas available. I am sorry that you lost your original post...so much time and effort gone bye-bye...I think it is interesting also that you say " This is a pared-down version of the original"...Whenever I have to rewrite something that got lost in the "clouds", I end up making it shorter than the original ;-) luis at ole dot travel
ReplyDeleteThat pasta was amazing, Luis. I will look for it from now on. I'd worked on the original post for so long that I didn't even remember all the things I'd said when I had to rewrite it. I will definitely be more careful in the future.
DeleteMy mom and I were just talking about making a pasta salad!
ReplyDeleteThis was a really good one - I think mostly because the tomatoes were so good and the addition of the fresh corn made the dish naturally sweet. Let me know what you put in yours.
Deletelooks yummy!
ReplyDeleteI'm craving this right now. I wish I had the ingredients to make more.
DeleteI love pasta salad. It looks delicious and sounds easy enough that I could even make it. I would probably add a little broccoli or asparagus tips. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThose would both be great additions. I'd add a little lemon zest to my dressing if I was doing asparagus.
DeleteSounds wonderful. I love a tasty pasta salad. If I am making it as a meal instead of a side, I will cut up some salami or pepperoni, maybe leftover ham to add a bit of protein to it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good idea, Marcia. That sounds like a cross between pasta salad and antipasta.
DeleteI love pasta salad! Thanks for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome, Vera!
DeleteI love pasta salad and always make mine with whole wheat pasta, grape tomatoes, red peppers, orange peppers, yellow peppers, onions, black olives and cucumbers. I never thought to make a fruit pasta salad but I bet it would be great with grapes, strawberries, melons, etc. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteThe picture of the vegetables is SO pretty.
ReplyDeleteI think I might add black beans.