Asparagus Pasta Salad
Asparagus Pasta Salad is a great way to bring in the SPRING! The sun is out and it's outdoor weather & perfect for a refreshing pasta salad. I can tell you after my first year of all four seasons, seeing the spring roll in after a long winter of snow, cold and cloudy days followed by more snow, cold and cloudy days, it is a wonderful experience to feel the sun, see the blue skies and see the bursts of greenery peeking out between the browned branches as the trees revive back to life.
Along with it comes the flavors of spring. Fresh tomatoes, greens and vegetables. Spring has now become my favorite season!
So to bring in the spring time I had a bunch of lobster flown in fresh, seafood is not mid-america's forte, invited a bunch of crazy friends over for an evening of eating, drinking wine, dancing and good times! Part of my feast included an Italian pasta recipe, of course!
Asparagus Pasta Salad Ingredients:
- 1 lb of sedanini pasta cooked al dente.
- 1 lb of fresh asparagus lightly steamed.
- ½ lbs of grape tomatoes sliced in half.
- 3 ripe but firm avocados, diced.
- 1 handful of Italian parsley, chopped.
- ¾ cup of shallot vinaigrette (see recipe below)
Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette Dressing for the Asparagus Pasta Salad:
I had the great pleasure of eating at Mozza in Los Angeles. The newest Mario Batali restaurant, and Nancy Silverton. My boyfriends daughter bought me the cookbook and I spent the afternoon creating recipes from the book. This was one of them and I thought it was the perfect addition to my asparagus pasta salad.
- ¼ cup minced shallots
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon champagne vinegar
- ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Course Salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Mix the shallots, lemon juice vinegar and salt and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Slowly drizzle the olive oil in as you whisk and then the pepper. Chill for about an hour prior to using.
Asparagus Pasta Salad Instructions:
Steam your asparagus and and drain. Place on a plate to cool in the refrigerator.
Meantime bring a large pot of water to a boil, salted of course, for the pasta.
While the water comes to a boil you can begin dicing your avocado, then coarsely chopping your Italian parsley. As far as the grape tomatoes are concerned, I either cut them in half or into three pieces depending on how large they are. I want them to be small little bites.
Once the pasta has been added and cooked al dente, and for pasta salad you really want the pasta to be toothy, drain and rinse in cold water until cooled. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and set aside.
Remove the asparagus and chop into one inch, bite sized pieces.
Mix all the ingredients of the together just before serving and you have a springtime pasta salad that bring bring a little sunshine to your table, your palette and your guests faces!
Vivere, Amare, Ridere e Mangiare Bene
To Live, To Love, To Laugh and To Eat Well!
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