BS: Pasta Salad

Subject: BS: Pasta Salad, Italian or otherwise
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 02:02 PM

Yet another foodie thread from me, I don't seem to get tired of doing these..

I like to knock up quick hearty salads for quick weekday lunches at this time of year. Ones with plenty of punch in the dressing as food that has to sit around for hours can start to taste a bit bland unless well seasoned. One of my favourites is a simple "Italian pasta salad" using wholegrain pasta shapes (I really don't care which), some black olives, diced cucumber and tomato and a little red onion. Dressed with a rich tomato viniagrette (I like plenty of EVOO in this).

I'm guessing however, that whatever the internet may tell me, this is probably more of an "American Italian" concoction than anything genuinely traditional to Italy.

I'd be curious to have some ideas for more authentic Italian salads (hearty style with some kind of carb base like pasta preferred) as well as other American Italian style dishes. I know there's one rather like our own potato salad that is little more than mayonnaise with macaroni. I'm not sure if I should be ashamed to say that I actually rather fancy trying this..

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: GUEST,JJ, without cookie
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 02:44 PM

I like a tasty and filling salad, my favourite dressing is very simple: freshly ground black pepper, olive oil, white wine vinegar or cider vinegar, and maybe a bit of fresh basil. Yummy!

What's EVOO?

JJ

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: Megan L
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 02:59 PM

JJ I had to look it up Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 03:10 PM

Hey, we got one of THESE. In theory all our noodles / spags & linguine are made from PURE VEG. Works best with courgette, although it doesn't freeze well (why did I ever think it would?????).

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 04:48 PM

Macaroni, tin of tuna flaked, chopped cherry tomatoes, couple of chopped hard boiled eggs, handful of halved black olives,
Dressing made with white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dash of chilli oil.
Alternatively try mayonnaise.
Finish of with a good handful of chopped flat leaf parsley.
Can also add chopped walnuts.

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: Rapparee
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 04:55 PM

Use some nice smoked wild salmon and perhaps some Sahale snacks sprinkled on top.

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 27 Jul 15 - 05:19 PM

I love anything like that. Beauty is, as has just been discovered, pasta, cooked and then left to go cold, is better for you than freshly cooked pasta. Look it up - Amazing!

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 28 Jul 15 - 04:23 AM

Pasta salad?

Cold pasta - yeuk!

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Jul 15 - 07:59 AM

Just had some with tuna, peas, spinach, olive oil and black pepper - Yum :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 28 Jul 15 - 08:40 AM

I make pasta salad quite often, always like to have a bit in the fridge. I make a greek orzo salad that is very good. All the usual greek salad stuff, olives, feta, cucumber, red onion. Orzo is also a very good salad with just pesto and a wee bit of balsamic vinegar. I make my own pesto if the bloody slugs don't eat the basil. I find the store stuff too salty. Orzo cooked with broth, cooled and drizzeled with olive oil and flavoured with copius amounts of grated parm is also excellent.

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: Rumncoke
Date: 28 Jul 15 - 06:37 PM

I eat quite a lot of salad - I just leave out the pasta and tend to throw in shrimps, or chicken or salmon, or eggs, boiled or scrambled.

I can live without sugar and heavy starchy foods - in fact I seem to function better.

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 29 Jul 15 - 11:52 AM

Yes, Dave it is interesting how the starches seem less digestible once cold.

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 29 Jul 15 - 01:44 PM

Noodle salad today!

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 30 Jul 15 - 10:47 AM

Yesterday I decided that if cold pasta and reheated pasta are okay (or even better) to eat, then why not cook up a bunch, chill it, freeze it, and save washing a lot of pots?

I've cooked up three packages' worth - spirals, penne and fettucine, and I'm looking forward to grabbing a portion, dropping it in the sauce, and having a quicker, easier dinner in the days to come.

I am thinking of ways to make cooking more fun. I like cooking, but I'm getting tired of cleaning pots and washing counters. I don't want to be like my mother-in-law, who announced at age 70 that she wasn't going to cook anything anymore, ever, and who ate only boxed foods from the supermarket.

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 02 Aug 15 - 05:14 AM

Elbow macaroni
Vittorio tomatoes, halved
English cucumber, chopped
Orange (for the colour it adds) bell pepper, chopped
Fresh dill, snipped
Helmann's light mayo

If you want some protein, add flaked tuna or tiny cubes of mature cheddar.

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 02 Aug 15 - 03:13 PM

Helmann's light mayo?

Nah, I don't do pretend.

DC

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 Aug 15 - 03:27 PM

I looked at Hellmann's Light Mayo in the store. Why is it gray? And why are the ingredients totally different than that of regular mayo?

After a while, I bought a jar and discovered that it doesn't do mayo's real job: keeping the dry bread from glueing itself to the meat in a sandwich. It glops like mayo, but it fails to lubricate.

I'm back to regular mayo, but less of it.

As for home-made mayo, no way am I going to eat raw egg.
=========
Spellcheck doesn't like "glops" or "glueing." Too bad. "Gluing" just doesn't seem logical.

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Aug 15 - 07:49 AM

English cucumber???

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 03 Aug 15 - 09:34 AM

"light" mayo should not be allowed to be called mayo. It is another creature ....I do make homemade mayo and homemade Caesar dressing, both with raw eggs. I have not poisoned anyone yet. I think there is a lot of mythology round this raw egg thing.

Subject: RE: BS: Pasta Salad
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 03 Aug 15 - 12:34 PM

Cuckes in England are thinner and much crisper than the common cukes you get in the US. They are also less bitter which makes the cucumber flavour much more pronounced than the US cukes.

http://mideastfood.about.com/od/glossary/g/engl_cucumber.htm