Tortellini Salad
Tortellini Salad
This is a nice take on the traditional pasta salad provided by our friend Jacquie. The tortellini with the pasta and cheese really rounds out the dish nicely and makes it a first course or an entrée. The leftovers are great for lunch the next day. As with all recipes I put changes in italics, not because it is any better but mostly because I did not have some of the original ingredients. Change at will.
• 1 package of tortellini, usually 9 to 12 ounces
• 4 cups of fresh vegetables cut into bite sized pieces; cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, cherry tomato, olives etc.
• ½ cup canola oil, or ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil, or ¼ cup chopped fresh
• 1 clove garlic, minced
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to the package instructions. Drain in a colander and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
Chop all the vegetables. As for the choice of vegetables use your imagination.
In a medium bowl add the oil, vinegar, the garlic, the herbs and some salt and pepper. Whisk together creating an emulsion.
Drain the tortellini, wipe the bowl to remove any excess water, place the tortellini and the chopped vegetables back into the bowl. Drizzle with the salad dressing and mix together thoroughly. You can either serve immediately or place the bowl, covered, in the refrigerator until it is time to serve.