Chilled Spaghetti Salad With Olives, Tomatoes and Basil
"Flavorful, light and refreshing describes this chilled pasta side-dish that is sure to be a hit at your next picnic, bbq, or sit-down meal. Goes great with everything from grilled salmon to hamburgers. My family loves this zesty spaghetti salad so much that they gobble it up before it barely has time to chill in the fridge!"
- Ready In:
- 20mins
- Ingredients:
- 20
- Serves:
-
8-10
ingredients
-
Salad
- 1 lb thin spaghetti
- 1 1⁄2 cups kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
- 1⁄2 cup sliced black olives, drained
- 1⁄2 cup pepperoncini pepper, remove stems and coarsely chopped
- 1⁄4 cup roasted red pepper, coarsely chopped
- 8 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
- 3⁄4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
- 1⁄2 cup fresh basil, snipped
- freshly grated parmesan cheese or romano cheese
-
Italian Vinaigrette
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon shallot, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian spices, rub between fingers to waken flavors
- 1⁄4 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
directions
-
Salad:
- Cook spaghetti according to directions on box. Rinse in cool water.
- Transfer cooked spaghetti into a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups of the Italian vinaigrette (recipe directions below.); toss well to coat.
- Add the next seven (7) ingredients, toss lightly.
- Refrigerate until well chilled (longer the better so that the flavors 'marry').
- When ready to serve, toss again lightly; top with snipped fresh basil and grated cheese.
- Cook's Tip: Add sliced grilled chicken breast for a main dish.
-
Italian Vinaigrette:
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together the vinegar, mustard, garlic, shallots, seasonings, sugar, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. While whisking vigorously, drizzle the oil into the vinegar mixture very carefully—slowly at first, then a little faster as the oil is incorporated.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 1 pint of vinaigrette.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
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It was at my Italian grandmother's apron strings, in the "Patterson, New Jersey region" of Italy, that I learned the secrets of creating real home style Italian dishes, and where my passion for food and my culture were nurtured.
Always kept neat as a pin, grandma's kitchen was the centerpiece of our social settings and the focal point of our lives together as a family. Yes, it was the heart of her home. There, friends and family exchanged news, grandchildren stood on stools over the counter and grated chunks of Romano and Parmesan cheese to be served with dinner, and under the watchful eye of grandma the women (young and old) planned and prepared mouthwatering menus that reflected the marvelous flavors and textures of Italian cooking.
On any given day tantalizing aromas would build and escape through her kitchen window, dance about the balcony and drift down onto the street; where men chatting on the corner of Putnum Street would stop in their tracks to inhale the mouth-watering fragrance. So many sumptuous meals were prepared in that modest, yet functional, kitchen.
If I close my eyes and think of Grandma's cooking, I can vividly recall some of those fragrant food memories: tomato sauce with meatballs and sausages simmering on the stove top; onions, peppers and garlic roasting in a fragrant pool of olive oil, Neapolitan pizza with vine-ripened tomatoes (from grandpa's garden), fresh garlic, basil, Parmesan and anchovies bubbling in the oven; Italian bread smothered with creamy butter, minced garlic, and fresh parsley toasting under the broiler ... "Yummmmm - Heaven in your mouth!"
Among the many recipes that I've collected over the years, are those that I hold especially near and dear. They are tattered, faded pieces of paper that provide a glimpse into my past -- Family recipes passed down from mother to daughter, granddaughter to great-granddaughter. Generations of my family's heritage are captured in grandma's recipes for flavorful soups (Minestrone, Pea, Ruccola); hearty meat, poultry and fish dishes (braciole, pot roast, chicken casseroles, seafood stews); fresh vegetable entrees and salads, and those baked goodies that bring a happy ending to every meal (Ricotta pies, Struffoli, Cenci, Pine Nut cookies). Whenever I am 'hungry' for "the good old days" or I want to soothe my soul after a tiring day, these are the comfort-recipes to which I turn.
I once heard it said: "What distinguishes great cooks from good cooks is that great cooks love to cook. Every meal is an opportunity to express that love." A credo that I am certain grandma lived by -- I believe that she prepared her meals to fill her family and friends with love. I am proud of grandma's spirit of "abbondanza" (an abundant table). Indeed, no one ever left grandma's table hungry.
I'd like to share with you some of the foods from my beloved grandmother's kitchen. Enjoy and make these Italian classic favorites in your own family's kitchen.
Buon appetito!
