Recipe: Dairy Hollow House Pasta Salad (with vegetables and Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette)

DAIRY HOLLOW HOUSE PASTA SALAD

"This recipe is of the "more is more" school, more herbs, more vegetables, and more garlic make this more delicious. It's very flavorful and colorful, yet has pasta's comforting plainness. With chunks of cheese and chickpeas added, it is a full meal.

One thing it is not "more of" is dressing. Too much oil drowns out flavor; just a bit enhances it. In a pasta salad, especially, excess dressing is greasy. This pasta salad is lightly, tastefully dressed.

You can use fewer vegetables than those listed here, or cut back on the fancy stuff if you like. It's good with just the seasonings and a few vegetables. But doing the whole number is not hard; despite the long list of ingredients, it goes together in a flash. You can prepare the pasta and seasonings, then, when that's well underway, the vegetables. Finally you toss all together with the finishes.

Necessarily, this recipe yields a large quantity, it takes a lot of pasta to balance all the other ingredients that make the salad so luscious."


FOR THE VEGETABLES:
4 carrots, scrubbed or peeled
1 zucchini, scrubbed
1 bunch broccoli
1/4 cauliflower head
1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas
1 cup cherry tomatoes, preferably red and yellow, stemmed
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced
FOR THE PASTA AND DRESSING:
Salt (as needed)
2 pounds Sturdy-shaped pasta,* uncooked
Marinade from 1 jar artichoke hearts (see FOR THE FINISHES list)
4 to 6 tablespoons Olive oil
3 tablespoons Red wine vinegar, or more to taste
1 Lemon, juice only
6 Garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup Chopped fresh basil leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried basil)
1/4 cup Chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon Crumbled dried rosemary
freshly ground Black pepper (to taste)
FOR THE FINISHES:
1 (6 1/2 ounce) jar Marinated artichoke hearts, marinade reserved
15 to 20 Kalamata olives, pitted, coarsely chopped
FOR SERVING:
1 (15 ounce) can Chick-peas, drained well
12 ounces Mozzarella or Fontina cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (or other mild firm cheese)
6 ounces Feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes or coarsely crumbled

TO PREPARE THE VEGETABLES:
Cut the carrots into 1-inch by 1/8-inch-square strips, blanch for 2 minutes, drain well; set aside.

Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch cubes, blanch for 30 seconds, drain well; set aside.

Separate the broccoli into bite-sized flowerets with stems peeled and julienned, blanch for for 2 minutes, drain well; set aside.

Separate the cauliflower into small flowerets, blanch for 2 minutes, drain well; set aside.

Cook the frozen peas by pouring boiling water over them, drain well; set aside.

TO PREPARE THE PASTA:
Fill your largest soup pot with water and bring it to a boil. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook until tender but still firm to the bite.

TO PREPARE THE DRESSING:
Meanwhile, drain the marinade from the artichoke hearts into a food processor. Add the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs and process until smooth.

TO FINISH THE SALAD:
Drain the pasta well, cool under cold running water, and drain well again. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, pour the dressing over it, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Taste, and amend to your liking with additional olive oil, vinegar, or seasonings.

Add the blanched and fresh vegetables to the pasta and toss to combine.

To finish, coarsely chop the artichoke hearts and add with the olives; toss again. Taste for seasoning and refrigerate.

TO SERVE:
Just before serving, add the chickpeas and cheeses. Toss to combine.

*Pasta, such as bow ties, tubes, or curlicues (some can be spinach, tomato, carrot, and/or beet pasta).

Servings: 14 to 16 as a side dish or 10 to 12 as an entree
Adapted from source: Dairy Hollow House Soup and Bread by Crescent Dragonwagon