Free Recipe Blog

Pasta Salad

Ingredients

250 grams pasta - small shells or spirals

Dressing:
6 tablespoons lite olive oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 clove garlic – crushed
1 tablespoon lite mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare:
125 grams (4oz) ham - cut into thin strips
2 tomatoes - peeled and diced small
2 hard boiled eggs cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons of parsley finely chopped
2 tablespoons red and or green capsicum combined (red or green peppers)

Method:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until just tender (salt is optional). Drain well and let stand for a couple of minutes.

Mix the oil, vinegar, garlic and mayonnaise with salt and pepper and mix this through the warm pasta. Let stand for about 30 minutes before serving.

Mix all ingredients into the pasta dish. Stand for about 1 hour.

Please note that the most important part in this recipe is to mix the dressing into the warm pasta. It will soak up the flavours as it cools and it will keep for approximately 12 hours.

This recipe will go well with seafood such as fresh prawns or it could be served as a side salad with a BBQ.

Summer in Australia just over a month away but here in Hervey Bay Queensland the weather is already warm and when I found this recipe by Bek Davis I thought it would be great served with some marinated chicken tenderloins or a t-bone steak cooked on the BBQ.

Toni

Summer Basil Pasta Salad
by: Bek Davis

With the long hot days of summer, you will find that you will need something lighter than a T-bone steak.

If you are seeking a fresh and light pasta salad, then you will need to serve this at your next gathering.

Recipe:
16 oz. box Whole Wheat pasta, find a fun shape.
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach (2 cups fresh could be substituted)
1 cup fresh diced tomatoes
1/4 cup finely sliced red onion
4 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Pasta: Cook pasta according to the package. Drain and let cool. Or run under cold water and ice.

Vegetables: Thaw spinach and drain all excess water by pressing it with your hands.
Wash and dice tomatoes. Slice red onion. Chop fresh basil.

Mix cooled pasta, vegetables, and remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Let sit in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Garnish with Parmesan Cheese and Basil

Tips from Chef Bek:

About the Author: Bek Davis is a trained chef and a work at home mom. You can find more recipes, cooking tips, and mom resources on her highly recommended website: http://modernmom.info