Ugly Pasta Salad

I think it's the fact the hominy picks up the brown color of the balsamic vinegar that makes this salad so ugly, but it's oh so tasty! The balsamic vinaigrette is very tangy and very garlicky, so if you suspect it could be too strong for you, adjust the amount of garlic and vinegar. I often substitute other cheeses for the pricey fresh mozzarella. I use regular mozzarella and monterey jack frequently. This is based on a recipe from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can hominy, rinsed and drained
• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic
• 4  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄2 lb  fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
• 1  lb  medium-sized pasta shells
• 1⁄4 cup  freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
•  fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, thyme, and oregano in a large bowl, whisking to combine.
2. Add chickpeas, hominy and mozzarella cubes and stir to combine.
3. Cover and refrigerate for as long as you can to let the flavors combine (or let it sit out just while the pasta cooks-- it will still tasty).
4. Cook the pasta shells according to package directions.
5. Drain and rinse in cold water.
6. Add pasta to the marinated ingredients, stirring to combine.
7. Eat hot, warm, room temperature, or cold (the salad makes great leftovers), sprinkling each serving with the optional Parmesan cheese separately.
8. Note: As you can imagine, this recipe could have many, many different vegetables added to it and many different cheeses would make tasty additions.
9. I sometimes add olives, grape tomatoes, scallions, etc.