* Exported from MasterCook * Dairy Hollow House Pasta Salad Recipe By : Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Salads Dressings Pasta Vegetables Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- === Vegetables === 4 Carrots -- scrub or peel 1 Zucchini -- scrubbed 1 bn Broccoli 1/4 Cauliflower head 10 ounces Frozen peas 1 cup Cherry tomatoes -- preferably- Red and yellow -- stemmed 2 Red bell peppers 2 Green bell peppers === Pasta and Dressing === Salt -- as needed 2 pounds Sturdy-shaped pasta * Marinade from artichoke - Hearts (see Finishes) 4 tablespoons To 6 tbsp. olive oil 3 tablespoons Red wine vinegar (or more) 1 Lemon -- juice only 6 Garlic cloves -- peeled 1/4 cup Chop'd fresh basil leaves OR 2 teaspoons Dried basil 1/4 cup Chopped fresh parsley 2 teaspoons Dried oregano 1/8 teaspoon Crumbled dried rosemary Freshly ground black pepper === Finishes === 6 1/2 ounces Marinated artichoke hearts 15 To 20 Kalamata olives 15 ounces Canned chick-peas 12 ounces Mozzarella or Fontina cheese 6 ounces Feta cheese * Note: Pasta, such as bow ties, tubes, or curlicues (some can be spinach, tomato, carrot, and/or beet pasta). Cut the carrots into 1-inch by 1/8-inch-square strips, blanch for 2 minutes, drain well; set aside. Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch cubes, blanch for 30 seconds, drain well; set aside. Seed and dice the bell peppers. Separate the broccoli into bite-sized flowerets with stems peeled and julienned , blanch for 2 minutes, drain well; set aside. Separate the cauliflower into small flowerets, blanch for 2 minutes, drain well; set aside. Cook the frozen peas by pouring boiling water over them, drain well; set aside. Fill your largest soup pot with water and bring it to a boil. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook until tender but still firm to the bite. Meanwhile, drain the marinade from the artichoke hearts into a food processor. Add the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs and process until smooth. Drain the pasta well, cool under cold running water, and drain well again. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, pour the dressing over it, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Taste, and amend to your liking with additional olive oil, vinegar, or seasonings. Add the blanched and fresh vegetables to the pasta and toss to combine. To finish, coarsely chop the artichoke hearts; pit and coarsely chop Kalamata olives; toss again. Taste for seasoning and chill. Just before serving, drain the chickpeas well; cut the firm cheese into 1/4" cubes; cut feta into 1/2" cubes or coarsely crumble. Add the chickpeas and cheeses to the salad. Toss to combine. This recipe serves 14 to 16 as a side dish or 10 to 12 as an entree. Comments: This recipe is of the "more is more" school -- more herbs, more vegetables, and more garlic make this more delicious. It's very flavorful and colorful, yet has pasta's comforting plainness. With chunks of cheese and chickpeas added, it is a full meal. One thing it is not "more of" is dressing. Too much oil drowns out flavor; just a bit enhances it. In a pasta salad, especially, excess dressing is greasy. This pasta salad is lightly, tastefully dressed. You can use fewer vegetables than those listed here, or cut back on the fancy stuff if you like. It's good with just the seasonings and a few vegetables. But doing the whole number is not hard; despite the long list of ingredients, it goes together in a flash. You can prepare the pasta and seasonings , then, when that's well underway, the vegetables. Finally you toss all together with the finishes. Necessarily, this recipe yields a large quantity -- it takes a lot of pasta to balance all the other ingredients that make the salad so luscious. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -