There’s Lotsa Flavor With Lotsa Pasta Dish
There’s no accounting for taste. People you totally respect will be noncommittal about the same entree that you thoroughly enjoy.
“It’s okay,” they say, but what they really mean is don’t serve it again.
Sometimes that’s my criterion for recipes for this column. Does my family like it?
Usually, they second my opinion. Once in a while, however, their tastes are very different from mine.
So we tried “Lotsa Pasta Salad.” While my husband and girls were lukewarm about the dish, my babysitter, Caroline Delaney, and her friend, Libby Avnet, liked it a lot.
“I thought it was delicious,” said Delaney. “I couldn’t stop eating it.”
Given those positive endorsements, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share the recipe. Decide for yourself if it’s acceptable.
This is a cold pasta dish from John Robbins’ “Diet For A New World, May All Be Fed.” If you’re hesitant about tofu, found in supermarket produce departments, this recipe is a good introduction to using it in a creamy Italian dressing.
If you’d rather save on cleanup of your blender or food processor, then use bottled creamy Italian dressing in place of a homemade one. Just remember: Dressing can make the difference between a good salad and a memorable one.
Lotsa Pasta Salad
Adapted from “Diet For A New World, May All Be Fed” (Avon Books)
1 pound spiral or other noodles
1 package sliced vegetables for stir-fries or salads, OR 4 stalks celery, 2 medium carrots, 2 red bell peppers and 1 small red onion, all finely chopped, OR other vegetables of your choice, chopped
1 cup Mediterranean black olives, pitted and chopped
1 1/2 cups Creamy Italian Dressing (recipe follows), or prepared creamy Italian dressing
In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the noodles until barely tender, about 6 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and let cool.
Put the cooled noodles, chopped vegetables, and olives into a salad bowl. Pour dressing over and stir until well coated. If desired, refrigerate to blend flavors.
Yield: 4 main-course servings or 6 to 8 first-course servings.
Creamy Italian Dressing
Adapted from “Diet For A New World, May All Be Fed” (Avon Books)
1/2 pound soft tofu, crumbled
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 small red onion
1 teaspoon prepared crushed garlic
1 teaspoon regular or sea salt
Put all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Yield: 2 1/4 cups.
Note: Use 1 1/2 cups of dressing for salad; add more as desired.
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