Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Joan's Pasta Salad


I'd forgotten about this salad and how much I love it until last weekend when I went to Joan's daughter's home to greet their newly adopted infant, and Joan had made it as part of a lovely luncheon. Joan is rather "famous" for this salad - it's one other people request too, not just me. We used to have season tickets to our local summer symphony series, and we've had many a picnic dinner on the lawn at the ampitherater, and every time Joan and Tom would attend I requested she make this. And she graciously gave the recipe to several people. So, thanks very much, Joan. I needed a salad for an outdoor dinner, and this just fit the bill.

Nothing about it is hard. It probably takes about 40 minutes to make it, including boiling the pasta. Be sure to not overcook the pasta. You don't have to use penne, but that's the way Joan makes it, and that's the type I prefer too. You can add more sun-dried tomatoes if you wish - her recipe calls for 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup. I used 1/4. And our basil plant is proliferating, so I pruned it back for this salad. The basil is crucial in my opinion. It also will keep a few days, although it's best the day it's made.

Joan's Pasta Salad
Serving Size : 10
SALAD:
1 pound penne rigate -- cooked al dente
1 cup cherry tomatoes -- halved
1/4 to 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes -- chopped
4 ounces Feta cheese -- crumbled
1 cup Parmesan cheese -- Fresh, grated
1/2 cup Italian parsley -- chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil -- chopped
1/2 cup green onion -- chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts -- toasted
DRESSING:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt -- or more to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Make dressing and set aside. Gather salad ingredients in a large bowl and pour dressing over. May be served immediately or chilled, but bring it back to room temp.
Serving Ideas : If this is served as a main course, it would probably serve about 6 people.
Per Serving: 382 Calories; 20g Fat (46.5% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol; 529mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 3 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
To view a printable file, click on title at top.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Carolyn,
I copied this into my Master Cook program from our friend Joan. It looks yummy. Do you use sun dried tomatoes in oil and dried ones that you rehydrate?
Your MC Pal .....Linda
P.S. Thanks for everything!

Carolyn T said...

Yes, I use sun dried in oil. You just blot some of the oil off before cutting them up. I have used dried ones, but it's better with oil.