There’s always a reason for pasta salad…
It was the fourth of July, and I was assigned to bring something over to my parent’s house for dinner. I knew there was going to be a lot of your typical barbecue-style foods ready to eat, so I decided to FINALLY try out a new pasta salad recipe and I can guarantee this one will not disappoint. A little bit of zest, another bit of tang and most definitely delicious.
Here’s how to make it:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb of dried shaped pasta (I used the Trader Joe’s Lemon Torchietti pasta)
- Four Campari tomatoes – chopped w/seeds removed
- Small can black olives – drained
- 1/2 block of sharp cheddar cheese – chopped
- One small red onion – chopped
- One small red bell pepper – chopped
- One tablespoon of chopped peperoncini, and 1/8 cup of pepperoncini liquid reserved
- 1/2 cucumber – chopped w/seeds removed
- Three green onions – chopped both white and greens
- Three celery sticks – chopped
- 1/8 cup of pasta water
- Small handful of parsley, chopped
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon
- One large tbsp Dijon mustard
- Two tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup good Olive Oil
- One tbsp of Leslie Elizabeth Shallot, Scallion and Leek mix
- Garlic Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Garlic powder to taste
Recipe:
To make the pasta salad, chop all ingredients listed above stated “chopped”, set aside. Cook pasta until al dente, drain and reserve some water, then set aside.
In a large bowl, start with parsley and a bit of peperonchini liquid, pasta water, and oil. Whisk and then add mayonnaise, the Dijon mustard and blend until it becomes thick.
Then, add Lesley Elizabeth shallot seasoning mix, crack pepper and garlic salt, then blend. Cut lemon wedge and squeeze juice then add garlic powder and blend with whisk.
In another bowl, add veggies and mix with pasta in a separate bowl. Then add dressing and toss again.
Season to taste and chill until ready to serve.
Love, Cass and Dax.
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