Some snooty food writers claim that a pasta salad is never served in Italy. Well, I've got news for them: it is. OK, you would be unlikely to find it on a restaurant menu but it is certainly made in the home during hot weather. It often contains tuna. I made this recipe up some years ago and call it my "Mediterranean Mélange":
4 oz. farfalle , fusilli or other pretty pasta [ fusilli tricolori look good]
1 onion or 2 shallots, very finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped
small can sweetcorn
some flat-leaved parsley, chopped
Dressing:
3 tablesp. olive oil
1 teasp. Dijon mustard
1.5 tablesp. red wine or fruit vinegar [balsamic is too strong]
1 teasp. tomato purée [not paste]
seasalt & black pepper
[Serves 4]
Cook the pasta and drain. Rinse in cold water and drain. Put into a serving dish. Add the vegetables and parsley. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together with a fork and pour it over the pasta mixture. Toss all well together. Cover with clingfilm and chill for at least a couple of hours.
9 comments:
Pasta salad certainly has it's place on the table in a very hot climate.
I must try this dressing, it looks good.
regards
jmb
Stuff the foodie snobs. That looks damn nice and tempting to me! :)
Mediterranean Mélange
I think I can access all of those, even the Dijon mustard. I'll give it a try.
I've made pasta salads for years and this one looks delicious - have you ever tried throwing in a handful of chopped fresh herbs? - basil, parsley, mint and chives are a good mix - though I know the chives would be difficult for you. Maybe garlic in the dressing instead might work.
... let me take down that recipe... I once made DIVINE pasta salad for a BBQ we had at Nutnut's house (Nutnut being my nuttiest X)... it was really nice tho totally nontraditional... I eat pasta in the German style... if you know what I mean... Germans seem to like pasta same as the Brits only to eat a little More of it... (I think Ragu is made in Germany).. or one of the other industrial sauce brands...
I'm just off now actually to cook mushroom tortelloni with cheese, herbs and tomato topping...
Thanks, jmb. I think the tomato purée gives it a kick. Well said, Lee! Buon appetito, James. Thanks, Sally. I don't think this one needs the herbs as the dressing is quite strong. But I've done it with other mixtures. We can get chives here though not often. Ciao, Gleds. Love the name Nutnut! Buon appetito to you, too!
That'll get served in our house too....
Do you make your own balsamic vinegar? I know of one Italian woman who does. This recipe certainly tempts my tastebuds.
Ciao, Mr H. I am flattered. Hi, Ellee, no, not balsamic. But I do make herb and fruit vinegars.
Post a Comment