Recipe Request

[no_hypocrisy]

I offered to make pasta salad for 50 people in a couple of weeks at Ethical Culture.

Anyone have a tried and true combination that is relatively easy to whip up and tastes good?

Much appreciated.

[The empressof all]

1. I make mine with Tortellini but you could use any pasta

You'll need to probably work in batches for such a large quantity or you could use a big roasting pan to mix.

I mix the cooked Pasta with finely chopped onion, celery, green pepper, red pepper and use Paul Newmans Italian Dressing. (It's one of the few things I use bottled dressing with but it's really good on this.)

That is the base. It's good to go as is or you can add whatever you want. My family really likes it with Tuna. (A little goes a long way in this mix). I've added garbanzo beans, corn, chopped brocolli, asparagus, shredded cheese, artichoke hearts, water chestnuts and cherry tomatoes. Go to the store and see whats on sale and looks good.

[Fire1]

2. Tuna sounds good. I usually use diced pepperoni. n/t

[AwakeAtLast]

3. I like to add

black olives, grape tomatoes, and chopped mozzarella (from the block).

My other secret is to season the pasta right after you drain it. Oregano, parsley, basil, etc. It stick right to it and the steam flavors the pasta.

[yellerpup]

4. Salt, pepper and apply herbs to seasonal vegetables that have been cut

into bite-sized chunks, then grill or oven-roast combinations such as onion/garlic/peppers/carrot or squash/eggplant/tomato/artichoke, whatever you like until they are soft, caramelized, and giving up their juices...just to be sure that you keep the mixture well basted with Basalmic vinegar during cooking. This should take less than an hour in a 350 degree oven. Turn into a large bowl and be sure to capture all the drippings, then toss with hot pasta of your choice and cheese if you like and you have quite a respectable pasta salad. A woman I met while traveling introduced me to this without a written recipe and I've done tons of variations on it since using many combinations of veggies and herbs.

Edited to add: For crunch and color, I like to add barely blanched snow peas, sliced green onion, and chopped parsley at the last minute. Stands well without refrigeration.

[grasswire]

5. my basic combo...

...which people love (you would have to triple it, probably, depending on what other food is available -- I made it for a wedding luncheon for 30 where there was other food too):

Note: this is a de luxe pasta salad, and anything could be left out if too costly for the occasion.

2 1-pound pkg dry pasta -- I like to use campanella because it seems to hold the dressing, but anything is okay. Cooked in generously salted water, and drained.

one bunch fresh basil leaves, torn

2 cans pitted black olives, drained

a red onion, diced or halved and sliced

6 oz sliced salami, chopped into strips

12 oz frozen artichoke hearts, thawed (you could use canned drained)

1 pkg frozen sugar snap pea pods, thawed and patted dry (you could use fresh sugar snap pea pods)

1 pound monterey jack cheese, cubed about 1/2 inch

1 jar baby corn, drained and patted dry

a pint of cherry tomatoes, halved

two cups sliced or chopped red bell peppers

two unpeeled cucumbers, sliced (seed them if they are not English or Kirby)

8 oz baby carrots, fresh

1 bunch flat leaf Italian parsley, roughly chopped

broccoli florets if desired

8 oz grated parmesan cheese

a generous grind of black pepper

1 - 2 bottles of zesty Italian dressing to taste -- usually it soaks up a bit and you need to add some more just before serving. I like to use Paul Newman's -- it seems to have a real good flavor.

One fresh lemon, squeezed over the top before serving, and stirred in.

I have a huge inexpensive plastic punch bowl from the party store that holds the whole shebang for mixing. A big kettle could also work.

[Mind_your_head]

7. Great recipe! Thanks for sharing....

:-)

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Thank you everyone.

I wish I could try all your recipes rather than choose.

I feel confident that I'll be hearing from the Membership for a while about the pasta salad. And probably get myself on the permanent hospitality committee . . . . .