Every black person knows that pasta salad is a key dish at any family gathering. It comes in different variations using either mayo or Italian dressing. Well one Christmas, I received the honor of making the pasta salad. I put a spin on it and introduced my family to a Greek Style pasta salad. Greek food is at the top of my favorites so I wanted my family to enjoy it as well. This pasta salad is super easy. It's mostly just chopping vegetables up and tossing it together. Have fun with this! It's also a super fun recipe to do with your children. Let them stir to make them feel like they are actually doing something .LOL.
Ingredients
Vegetarian (12 servings)
Produce
12 oz. Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup Whole Black or Kalamata Olives (no pits), halved
1/3 cup Red Onions, sliced
3/4 Cucumbers, cubed (I prefer English Cucumbers because they have less seeds.)
1 bunch, Fresh Dill
Baking & Spices
1 tsp Salt (more, if desired)
1/2 tsp Cracked Black Pepper (more, if desired)
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Dried Italian Seasoning
Oils and Vinegars
3/4 -1 cup Greek Salad Dressing Vinaigrette or Robust Italian Dressing
2 tbsp Canola or Vegetable Oil
Dairy
5.3 oz Plain Non Fat Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup Feta Cheese
Pasta and Grains
16 oz. Rotini Pasta (one box)
Liquids
4-6 quarts Water
Pasta Salad Directions
Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot with 1/2 tsp of Salt and 2 tbsp of Canola or Vegetable Oil. Add pasta. Cook until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, wash and cut up the produce. Cut the Cherry Tomatoes and Olives in half (the long way). Slice the Red Onions and cut the cucumbers into about 1/2 cubes. Coarsely chop the fresh dill, leaving the stalk out.
Once the pasta is cooked, strain the water. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and to remove any access starch. Add the pasta to a large bowl (plastic or metal only) and place in the refrigerator for a 10-15 minutes. (Tip: Don't put hot pasta straight into a glass dish without cooling it down. The glass dish could possibly burst.)
Once the pasta is slightly chilled, add in all of the produce. Add in 1/2 cup of Feta Cheese, 5.3 oz of Plain Greek Yogurt (personal cup), and 3/4 cup of Robust Italian or Greek Salad Dressing.
Season the pasta salad with 1/4 tsp of Salt, 1/2 tsp of Cracked Black Pepper, 1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder, and 1/2 tsp of Dried Italian Seasoning.
Stir ingredients all together and spoon it into a nice glass bowl or dish. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve your guests.
Now you have something cooked from the SOUL. Serve it to the CULTURE!
