Reciepts for pasta salads

[pigletwillie]

I am after some tried and tested recipes for home made pasta salad. Preferably tomato sause, cheese or mayo based ones using spiral or shell shaped pasta.

My attempt at the weekend was very tasty but a bit thick and stuck to the serving spoon like poo to a blanket.

[annaradiog]

pasta salad

Try this

pasta, mayo, chopped spring onion, small pieces of red pepper, small chunks of cucumber, sweetcorn, grated cheese (not too much though), paprika and ground pepper.

Don't use too much mayo, only enough to coat the other ingredients.

[Alice]

You might like this one Piglet. Works well in this house. You know how to do things so I'll just give you the ingredients.

Pasta salad with smoked fish, apple and fruit.

For 1lb of cooked pasta shells or spirals

mix together
6 tablespoons thick youghurt
2 tablespoons mayonaise
2 or 3 teaspoons lemon juice (to get the consistency right)

To this mixture add
8 oz smoked mackerel fillet ( or smoked salmon or trout if you feel rich)
1 diced avocado pear ( or cubed melon, or mango or some grapes)
2 apples (peeled, cored and diced)
6 spring onions - chopped as you like them
Ground black pepper to taste
A few dill seeds (optional)

Mix together gently to avoid smashing the fish
LASTLY
Add the pasta to the mixture, some at a time, till you are happy you have the consistency right. (Throw away the last spoonfull of pasta if it is too much is what I am saying)

Chill and serve as you like it.
I like it served in a big chinese leaf, sprinkled with a little chopped fresh herb of choice. Dill goes well.

Hope it works well for you.

[nick the grief]

I love Pasta salads & Bean Salads too with a nice vinigrette.

A quick on to make

Cold cooke pasta
Tin of sweetcorn
Cold cooked petitpois
grated raw Carrot
fine ish chopped raw onion
some choped herbs either Mint or Chives goes well

few dollops of Hellmans

takes seconds to make but the impression lasts a liftime

[jerseybean]

Delia does a lovely risotto with homemade pesto. I use a jar and pasta, and this is good cold.Easy , with extra parmesan on top.

[JennieAtkinson]

Guess what we are having for dinner tomorrow! Very impressed with the smoked fish one Alice. Sounds lovely. I have never tried cold pasta.

[Pottypotter]

Cooked pasta
Tin of drained tuna or salmon
Tin of drained sweetcorn
Salt, pepper
Couple of spoons of mayo to lightly cover pasta.

[dexterdoglancashire]

This is from Jamie Oliver - the chap I blame for getting me into cooking!

310g small pasta shells
3 cloves garlic, peeled
255g yellow cherry tomatoes
255g red cherry tomatoes
1 handful black olives, pitted
2 tblsp fresh chives
1 handful fresh basil
1/2 cucumber
4 tbslp white wine vinegar or to taste
7 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
black pepper freshly ground

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and the garlic simmer for 5 minutes or until pasta al dente and drain. Put garlic aside. Put pasta in a bowl. Chop tomatoes, olives, chives, basil and cucumber into pieces and add to the bowl. Squash the garlic out of the skins and mash well. Add to bowl, add vinegar, oil and seasoning and drizzle this over the salad.

Bernie aka Dexterdog

[wellie]

Oh Alice, that sounds fantastic! And I'm just 'guessing' that the recipe would work superbly with some smoked chicken, when you fancied a change from smoked fish. What do you think??

[JennieAtkinson]

Smoked chicken sounds nice Wellie. OH doesn't like fish. So I'm on the trail for that tomorrow!

[pigletwillie]

Thank you all, keep them coming.

[blue-and-green]

pigletwillie, try,
pasta
mayo mixed with ketchup, half/half, add worcester sauce with it,
add any fish, salmon or tuna maybe or prawns
and any salad vegetable.
OR
Pasta,
diced chicken,
mayonaise,
and grapes.

[muckdiva]

Pasta
Witloof chicory chicons cut into 1cm wide slices crossways
Mayo mixed with dollop of tomato puree or ketchup
cayenne pepper or herbs to taste

I've found adding dressings to warm pasta makes the salad claggy, so wait until it's cooled before mixing ingredients. It sometimes also helps to rinse pasta in cold water and drain well before using.

[SueA]

I like 'Prawn, pasta & avocado' salad.
Peel & thinly slice an avocado & drizzle with lemon juice to stop it browning.Cook required quantity of pasta shells, rinse & cool.Rinse some prawns (quantity depends on how many you are serving).Mix together a couple of tablespoons of virgin olive oil with a splash of wine vinegar & salt & pepper to taste.Mix everything together & add a couple of spoonfuls of mayo if you prefer a creamy texture. Serve with chunks of French bread & a side salad, lovely!

[Alice]

Thanks for that SueA. Sounds good to me.