Sparks from the Kitchen

I cannot believe Memorial Day Weekend has come and gone. It’s almost time for summer fruits and veggies again.

That being said this pasta salad is perfect for the warm weather.  There’s a ton of veggies, a bit of cheese and a great light vinaigrette. It can be made in advance and kept in the fridge too.  You can feel free to add other veggies too-maybe some red or yellow peppers, onions etc….

Veggie & Feta Pasta Salad

Salad Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb gemelli pasta
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped kalamata olives (pitted obviously)
• 1 cucumber cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup feta cheese

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 large clove of garlic, put through press or mashed to a paste
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, drain and rinse with cold water.  Shake out as much of the water as possible.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine all of the salad ingredients above and mix well to combine.
3. In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients except the olive oil until evenly combined. Then, while whisking, add the olive oil and continue to whisk until emulsified.
4. Pour dressing over salad, mix to evenly distribute the dressing, and serve or refrigerate until ready to serve.