Soup is well known as an ingredient catch-all most of the year but in the hottest summer months, save for a nod to great gazpacho, I say cold pasta salad can fill the same role just as well.
Boil any pasta you have around then run it under cold water immediately after to stop the cooking. Toss in your largest mixing bowl adding a few pours of good olive oil then start clearing the fridge, garden, and pantry with wild abandon of any tasty bits as you see fit. I usually make a fresh batch of mayo flavoured appropriately for the occasion and avoid most fresh dairy (appropriate cheeses excluded) just to give it better ‘picnic durability’ in the heat of summer.
Here a list of what you see mixed above but I can almost promise my next version (and any you think up) will be different. Zoom in and play “Where’s Waldo” with your favourite ingredient; it’s probably in there. Make a huge batch since it only gets better over the next few days… if I can avoid eating it all a fork at a time with every stroll past the fridge.
Summer Pasta Salad
- cheese & onion tortellini
- rotini
- kalamata olives
- sweet purple onion
- sun-dried tomatoes
- cherry tomatoes
- chiles (any heat)
- peas
- feta
- celery
- radish
- homemade mayo (tomato oil & garlic)
- olive oil
- fresh basil
- fresh chives
- black peppercorn
- fine sea salt
– msh v.1.4
