Creamy Pasta Salad

This is an easy and delicious dish to prepare which can be a side dish or a main if you choose to add tuna or chicken chunks. The dressing is creamy and a hint of sweet and sour and just the type of pasta dish to bring to a picnic. Young and old love this.

Start with the pasta. You can use macaroni, but I like the farfalle (bow tie) shape which holds the sauce very nicely and has nice eye appeal as well. Prepare it according to the package directions (a note here, normally I cook past al dente, yes yes I know, terrible of me but I like it a bit softer. Here I do not since the pasta absorbs the sauce and gets softer this way. You don’t want soggy, so cook to al dente) and drain and shake. Do not rinse the pasta.

While it cools enough to handle, prepare the vegetables and sauce.

Take a large peeled carrot and shred or use a mandoline and slice in very thin julienne slices, almost like shards. Do the same with a nice red pepper, like so:

In a large bowl, put the defrosted peas, add the julienned veggies and the pasta, making sure to “unclump” the pasta. In a separate bowl make the sauce. Put in the sugar, vinegar, mayo, mustard and salt.

Whisk together to a creamy texture. Pour over the pasta mixture.

Toss thoroughly until all the pasta mixture is coated in the creamy sauce. Taste a bow tie to adjust seasoning. This pasta is best when left to marinate at least half an hour. Longer is even better so you can prepare the night before and serve the next day with no problem. The flavors are enhanced this way. Serve at picnics, barbeques or any lunch, brunch or dinner.

Creamy Pasta Salad

1 package farfalle or macaroni
1 medium onion, peeled, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1 bell (red) pepper, seeded and chopped into fine julienne strips
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into fine julienne strips or grated

Sauce Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

Optional additions: chunks of tuna; chunks of cooked chicken breast

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions (not longer!) and drain well. Do not rinse. Set aside.

Take the chopped onion and fry till light brown.

In a small bowl, stir together the sauce ingredients, mustard, mayo, sugar, vinegar and salt. Whisk well together till smooth and creamy. Set aside.

In large bowl, place defrosted peas, carrot and bell pepper, fried onions and pasta. Make sure that the pasta is separated and not clumpy. Pour the sauce over the mixture and toss till everything is completely coated. Let marinate at least half an hour. This gets better the longer it sits so if you leave in fridge overnight, all the better.