In the same vein as Jacques Pepin's fridge soup, I often make pantry pasta salad. The bulk of the ingredients come from the pantry, though there are refrigerated items as well. My pasta dish likely leans a certain way because my pantry is normally stocked with those items, whereas your storage shelves might be filled with other options.
The salad is never quite the same each time. I may use dandelions if I have them, or cilantro in place of parsley. Maybe make a version with radishes and walnuts. Get it? Basically, a by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of dish.
Last week and last-minute at that, I tried to look at my choices with fresh eyes, and this is what came together rather nicely for our weekly cul-de-sac Happy Hour. A few ingredients are given in quantity or weight, but this is a common sense recipe. Add however much of each item as you like.
Pantry Pasta Salad
1 pound dried pasta (shapes rather than strings)
2 cans five-ounce each, albacore
Olives, black and green, sliced as preferred
Peppadews, several sliced (pimentos would be a good sub)
Golden raisins, soaked in rum for a while, then drained
3-4 scallions, white and green parts
Salt & Pepper
Pine Nuts, toasted
Parsley, chopped Italian
Vinaigrette, 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (I followed a 3 to 1 ration)
Cook pasta to al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. (Salads are the only time to rinse pasta!) Drain well.
In a large bowl, flake the tuna by hand then add half the pasta and half of the remaining ingredients. Toss with half the vinaigrette, then repeat with the remaining half of everything.
This makes a buffet table size bowl. Reduce or increase quantity. Leftover refrigerated salad should be brought to room temperature and may need additional dressing added.
No comments:
Post a Comment