Italian Style Pasta Salad
by Chef Patricia DeMauro
INGREDIENTS
• 1 pound pasta (1/2 pound rotini and 1/2 elbows)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1 red onion
• 1/2 yellow or green squash
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• 1 cup grilled corn (optional)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup jarred red peppers
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 – 6 ounce package crumbled feta cheese
PREPARATION
1. Add 1 pound of pasta and stir as the water returns to a boil. Keep boiling while pot is uncovered. After about 10 minutes, remove from heat and use a strainer to drain the water. Transfer cooked pasta to a bowl. Let pasta cool for a few minutes. Sprinkle with olive oil to keep pasta from sticking together.
2. When pasta is cooled down, add Italian dressing and mix well.
3. Slice black olives into small pieces. Peel red onion and slice finely. Wash, peel and finely slice squash and cucumber. Wash and finely dice grape tomatoes. Chiffonade fresh basil. Cut fresh parsley. Optional – grilled corn (check out our Grilled Corn recipe)
4. Add to the Cooked Pasta the following and mix well, black olives, red onion, squash, cucumber, grape tomatoes, onion, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Add feta cheese and mix pasta well so all ingredients are combined. Top with fresh basil and parsley.
5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight.
Serves 6 – 8 as a side dish
Mangia Perfecto!!!
And always be creative.
For more delicious pasta recipes, check out our fresh Pasta category!
