Summer Salads.......Italian Style

I know that there are a lot of recipes out there for pasta salad and potato salad, especially this time of year.

And I know that a lot of them are called Italian pasta salad.....I have never seen one for Italian potato salad.

I think mine are different.

I have been making the pasta salad for about 30 years and it is really good, without using bottled, flavor-enhanced-with-preservatives Italian dressing. This one has a fresher, lighter dressing.

The potato salad is Italian/Puerto Rican and has been my favorite for the past couple years. The olive oil and the "a little of this-a and a little of that-a" ingredients make it Italian; a Puerto Rican friend made it up and shared her recipe with me!

I will start with the pasta salad, which has some a little of this-a and a little of that-a......

Italian Pasta Salad
(Make this recipe in enough time ahead of serving for the flavors to marry, up to a day before)

1 (16 oz.) box of tri-color pasta or pasta of your choice
1/2 cup romano or parmesan grated cheese
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
handful of sliced black olives
handful of pepperoni slices, quartered
handful of grape tomatoes, halved
broccoli crowns, chopped
8 oz. chunk mozzarella, cut into small chunks
fresh basil to taste, chopped or 1 tablespoon dry basil

Cook pasta according to package directions. Add romano, oil and vinegar. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Refrigerate till served.

 

 

 

 

Italian/Puerto Rican Potato Salad

 

(this salad also tastes best a day or two after it is made)

 

Russet potatoes

hard boiled eggs

olive oil (use the good stuff - the 100% Virgin Olive Oil - it has the most taste)

mayonnaise

salt and pepper to taste

 

Peel, chop and boil enough potatoes for the amount of people you are serving. For my husband and I, I use 4 large russet potatoes to two hard boiled eggs. I put the eggs in with the potatoes and let them all boil together. I just time the eggs for 10 minutes when the water is boiling and then pull them out when done.

 

Cook the potatoes till soft and drain. Chop the eggs and add to the potatoes. Add seasonings. Mix together using a pastry blender or large fork. Add mayo ( I used 3/4 cup) and then add olive oil. Either drizzle it or pour it in until you taste it in the salad (that means you have to keep taste-testing!)

 

Keep mixing till it is the consistency you want....either smooth or with a little bit of chunk. I think this recipe tastes best smooth but my husband likes some chunks so here is my finished salad.....kinda looks like chunky mashed potatoes!

 

 

Refrigerate for several hours before serving. I like this best a day or two after it is made. It is so good! It is a nice change from the typical potato salad.

I know we can all get caught up in the rut of making the same pan of beans, pasta salad and potato salads all summer for dinner and as a dish to pass for all the picnics we attend. They are summers' comfort foods and they keep us feeling like it's summer and in our comfort zone.

I don't think you will be disappointed if you try my version of the two most popular summer salads.....

You will still be within that zone.....

AnnMarie :)

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