PASTA: Pasta Salads - Information

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Pasta Salads - Information

 

Recipe By : Judith Barrett, in Pasta Verde, 1995

Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : 00 info and techniques 07 grains, beans and

pasta

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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-- Pasta Salads - Information --

 

Pasta salad as we know it - pasta specially cooked and served cold with

vegetables, herbs, and dressing or sauces - is an American invention

derived from an Italian culinary tradition: during the long hot summers,

Italians have always enjoyed pasta - usually left over from the previous

night's hot meal - cold or at room temperature.

 

Because Italian cooking has broken through traditional barriers in Italy

as well as here at home, the American concept of pasta salads now has

become more popular there. As evidence of that, at least two of Italy's

leading pasta manufacturers, Barilla and DeCecco, offer a special pasta

just for salads. Barilla calls theirs 'Fresca Fantasia', and it is

milled and manufactured to hold up to refrigeration and the weight and

moisture of the ingredients and dressing.

 

You don't have to have special pasta to make a great pasta salad. Any

kind of pasta can be combined with crisp fresh or lightly cooked

vegetables as well as cheeses , herbs and savory sauces such as an olive

oil-based vinaigrette or mayonnaise-type dressing. Pasta salads make

great dishes to serve large or small crowds for lunch or hot weather

dinners, and they provide an easy way for you to use up leftovers. Pasta

salad's great appeal is its versatility and ease: you can prepare a

pasta salad with little cooking, but an endless list of ingredients.

 

PASTA SALAD TIPS

 

Short pasta shapes are my favorite for salads. They combine best with

the other cut-up ingredients to create a consistent texture. Use bow

ties (farfalle), corkscrews (fusilli), quill shapes (penne and

pennette), wheels (rotelli), short, straight macaroni (tubetti and

ditallini), barley shape (orzo), shells (conchiglie), and little " ears "

or discs (orecchietti). I suggest a shape for each recipe, but feel free

to interchange them, depending on your taste and what you have on hand.

 

After draining, rinse pasta for salad in cold water. It helps to stop

the cooking process so you can dress and serve it.

 

For the best flavor, pasta salads should be dressed while warm or at

room temperature, but not hot or cold. You want the pasta to absorb

some, but not all, of the dressing. If you dress the pasta while it's

hot, it absorbs too much dressing and becomes soft or soggy. If you

dress it when it's cold, it won't absorb enough of the flavor for the

dressing.

 

If possible, use a flavorful extra virgin olive oil to season your

salads. It adds a wonderful taste to the dish.

 

Always taste and salt the pasta salad after it reaches room temperature.

Colder dishes have less flavor than hotter ones.

 

Pasta salad should be served at room temperature, not cold from the

refrigerator. If you refrigerate the pasta salad, allow it to reach room

temperature before serving.

 

Use both cooked and raw vegetables in pasta salads. Combinations make

for interesting textures and tastes.

 

Before serving, toss pasta salads with two large spoons or a spoon and

fork to make sure that the dressing that settles on the bottom of the

bowl is well combined with the pasta and vegetables.

 

Serve pasta salads over a bed of greens: lettuce, mesclun, arugula, and

watercress all make a good-looking and good-tasting accompaniment.

 

Most pasta salads don't refrigerate well. It's best to prepare and serve

pasta salad the same day.

 

Source: Judith Barrett, in Pasta Verde, 1995

Typed and MC Formatted by Eruna Schultheiss

 

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