Tomato Feta Pasta Salad

Sharon123's Note:

A wonderfully intensely flavored pasta salad by Ina Garten in her Barefoot Contessa episode: Perfect Pasta. You will enjoy this! Perfect for picnics or right inside the house. For a gluten free version use rice pasta. Some people have made this a main dish by adding chopped chicken. Enjoy!

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 6

Salad

• 1/2 lb fusilli (spirals-whole wheat is great!)
• kosher salt
• olive oil
• 1 lb ripe tomato, medium-diced
• 3/4 cup good kalamata olive, pitted, diced (or other good black olives)
• 1 lb good feta cheese, medium-diced (or use mozzarella if you like or try goat cheese)
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped

Dressing

• 5 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or try lemon juice with some of the zest)
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup packed flat leaf parsley, chopped (or use basil if you like)

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.
2. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, feta and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
3. For the dressing:.
4. Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt(taste before adding salt) and pepper in a food processor and process until almost smooth.
5. Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and parsley, and toss well. Enjoy!
6. Possible additions to salad:.
7. Peas.
8. Artichoke hearts.
9. A tablespoon of white wine mustard.
10. Tuna.
11. Fresh spinach(can mix with hot pasta to wilt spinach).

Reviews

[katew]

Scaled this down for one tonight and it was so enjoyable - there is enough left for lunch tomorrow so may yet get a pic. I topped mine with croutons. Made for Everyday is a Holiday.

[Sydney Mike]

Wonderful salad! I made the recipe pretty much as given, but might take your suggestion another time & add some chicken breast & peas! Did make it using the feta cheese & that was great! Thanks for another very nice keeper recipe! [Made & reviewed as a recipenap in the Aus/NZ Recipe Swap #42]