Hey there all! This is the first post of 2012. To kick off this momentous occasion I am bringing you a quick and delicious dinner idea. I made a pasta salad last night and it was damn good, so you should eat it too. Below are the details. Enjoy!!


What you need:

Salt and pepper

1/2 box of rigatoni
8oz black eyed peas, frozen


I large shallot, or two small, diced
1 large garlic clove, or two small, diced
a generous handful of sundried tomatoes in oil cut into bite sized pieces
6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1/3 cup of mix of red and green sweet peppers diced
1/4 cup of cherry tomoatoes quartered
a handful of basil leaves
1/4 of pine nuts
1/4 of pickled banana peppers, slice
1 tablespoon of parmesean cheese
4oz package of salami

Italian salad mix


Step 1
In a large pot boil water, generously salted. In small pot add the peas and cover with water and add salt.

Step 2
Meanwhile, dice the shallot and the garlic and place in a bowl large enough to hold the whole salad. Cut the sundried tomatoes into bite sized pieces,then add to bowl. Add the vinegar and the lemon juice and then slowly blend the olive oil into it, season with salt and pepper. Let this sit.

Step 3
Check on the beans. They will be tender when ready. If ready turn off heat. Add pasta to the large pot when it is at a rapid boil. It will take about 14 to 15 minutes to cook the pasta. Do not cook al dente. Cook until the pasta is fully tender. This is important.

Step 4
Chop the peppers and the tomatoes and set aside. Check on the pasta. When ready ladle the pasta out of the water with a slotted spoon. You want a little of the pasta water to drip into the bowl as you transfer it from the pot to the bowl. You don't want to pour the pasta water in, but as you transfer the pasta from one to the other, just enough will fall into the bowl. Then laddle in the peas as well. You want to Gently fold in until all is incorporated. Then you will put plastic wrap on top. Put in fridge for 30 minutes.

Step 5
Cut the salami. Toast the pine nuts and set aside. Chop the basil and put on top of the cut peppers and place plastic wrap over them until the pasta is ready to be taken out.

Step 6
Take the bowl out of the fridge. Fold in the peppers and tomatoes. Then fold in the salami. Then fold in the pine nuts and the parmesean cheese. Taste it. It may need a dash of salt and pepper.

To serve: I served this dense salad with undressed italian greens, which balanced out the meal. Eat it!!