Pasta Salad Questions

[GotGarlic]

How exactly do you toast cooked pasta?

Wait, I think I just got it. You're toasting freshly made pasta. You may want to be more clear about that. You didn't mention it in your first post on this, so I was confused. Others probably were, too, since few of us regularly make homemade pasta.

 

[outRIAAge]

Cook it normally, drain, and then lay it out in a toaster oven and toast away until lightly coloured. I got the idea from the delicious "burnt ends" of a manicotti dish I made.

 

[GotGarlic]

Interesting idea. Thanks.

 

[Rocklobster]

Couple of things...coat noodles with a liberal amount of oil and let it sit for a while so it can absorb some of the oil. This will stop the pasta from absorbing any dressing and becoming sticky. Dilute any mayo based dressings with a splash of water, or vinegar. It may seem a little runny, but it will thicken up later if you put it in the fridge to chill. Then toss or stir before serving.

 

[Kayelle]

Cook it normally, drain, and then lay it out in a toaster oven and toast away until lightly coloured. I got the idea from the delicious "burnt ends" of a manicotti dish I made.

Couple of things...coat noodles with a liberal amount of oil and let it sit for a while so it can absorb some of the oil. This will stop the pasta from absorbing any dressing and becoming sticky. Dilute any mayo based dressings with a splash of water, or vinegar. It may seem a little runny, but it will thicken up later if you put it in the fridge to chill. Then toss or stir before serving.

Both of those ideas are interesting. I no longer make pasta salads but when I did, I was never happy with them the next day..yuck.
I wish I knew then what I know now.
Thanks for the great info guys! Discuss Cooking at it's best.

 

[GotGarlic]

Couple of things...coat noodles with a liberal amount of oil and let it sit for a while so it can absorb some of the oil. This will stop the pasta from absorbing any dressing and becoming sticky. Dilute any mayo based dressings with a splash of water, or vinegar. It may seem a little runny, but it will thicken up later if you put it in the fridge to chill. Then toss or stir before serving.

Lately, I've been sprinkling freshly cooked pasta with a bit of the vinegar I'm using in the recipe, like I do with potato salad. It flavors the pasta but doesn’t make it sticky.

 

[CWS4322]

Couple of things...coat noodles with a liberal amount of oil and let it sit for a while so it can absorb some of the oil. This will stop the pasta from absorbing any dressing and becoming sticky. Dilute any mayo based dressings with a splash of water, or vinegar. It may seem a little runny, but it will thicken up later if you put it in the fridge to chill. Then toss or stir before serving.

The coating with oil is the key. I used to make 120 (8 oz) servings of pasta twice a week. We used all kinds of pasta. We cooked the pasta the day before, added oil, covered the pasta and let it chill in the walk-in overnight. I use buttermilk to thin mayo-based dressings. I have toasted pasta before cooking it. I add dried herbs to the water.

 

[GotGarlic]

The coating with oil is the key.

I've done that, but I prefer using vinegar instead. I like for the pasta itself to be well-flavored and I find that the sauce slides off the noodles if they're coated with oil first.

 

[erehweslefox]

I too find pasta a little bit gummy, particularly in a cold salad, so in the spirit, if not letter of the thread, I'm going to post my zuccini barley salad, which is generally a hit at picnics.

1 cup barley
2 cups vege stock
2-4 zuccini
2 cans 15 oz garbanzo
16 oz cherry tomatoes
16 oz feta
1 bundle fresh mint
salt
pepper

Boil the barley in the stock until soft and cooked.

While barley is cooking, matchstick the zukes, i.e. cut them up into matchstick looking pieces, salt well, and let sit.

Add the chick peas and a bit of black pepper to the barley, heat to warm, add half the dressing (see below) to barley chick pea mix.

halve the tomatoes, and combine with mint and zukes (I like to press out much of the water from the zukes by wrapping them up in cheesecloth and pressing). Add to the barley mix, add rest of dressing, and chill. Serve chilled.

For dressing:

1 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp mustard (I like it mustardy so I use coghlin's British mustard powdered, but you can get by with a Dijon, or heck French's)
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
2 tbsp olive oil
pepper to taste
1/2 tsp cumin
a touch of cloves, to taste

mix well

Cheers!

TBS

 

[Cheryl J]

Usually I'm cooking for one so for me, pasta salad has evolved into a kind of 'use up what's in the veggie bin' one meal salad. I'm not crazy about it the next day either, so I usually just grab a palmful of orzo and start chopping whatever veggies need to be used up. Sometimes bits of ham or shrimp get added. I use a blend of a little mayo, rice vinegar, and Penzeys Greek seasoning or Fox Point and call it a meal. I like using orzo and chopping the veggies rather small, that way I can get a little of everything in one bite.

It's rarely the same twice unless I make it specifically for a family dinner or BBQ, then I obviously put more care into the ingredients. We especially like antipasto salads and for that I use a larger sized pasta instead of orzo.

 

[Addie]

Usually I'm cooking for one so for me, pasta salad has evolved into a kind of 'use up what's in the veggie bin' one meal salad. I'm not crazy about it the next day either, so I usually just grab a palmful of orzo and start chopping whatever veggies need to be used up. Sometimes bits of ham or shrimp get added. I use a blend of a little mayo, rice vinegar, and Penzeys Greek seasoning or Fox Point and call it a meal. I like using orzo and chopping the veggies rather small, that way I can get a little of everything in one bite.

It's rarely the same twice unless I make it specifically for a family dinner or BBQ, then I obviously put more care into the ingredients. We especially like antipasto salads and for that I use a larger sized pasta instead of orzo.

Although I do have straight white vinegar on hand, I use it mostly for cleaning. Rice or apple cider are my two go vinegars.

 

[erehweslefox]

I like using orzo

I have a orzo Parmesan recipe I loved, but I never got up to using orzo as an everyday pasta. And there is a reason, and a story behind it.

So a couple of years ago, my favorite internet source of grains went out of business, and had a going out of business sale. I used them as a source for unhulled barley, which I enjoy and have many recipes for that. Rather different than pearl barley.

Wanting to support them, looking at the prices, and not realizing it was a clearance sale, I purchased a ten gallon bucket of hulled barley, and a ten gallon bucket of oat groats. I thought I was buying a different metric. So I have a ton of barley and oats, and does that inform my reciepies? heck yes

So I like using barley like pasta, which doesn't work for long pasta, but works quite well for orzo.

 

[outRIAAge]

Although I do have straight white vinegar on hand, I use it mostly for cleaning. Rice or apple cider are my two go vinegars.

I love Heinz White Vinegar. To the best of my knowledge, it was the very first of Heinz' 57000 varieties (with the equally-excellent cider vinegar appearing next). But note that there are two grades: The one sold in glass is the pristine product with very clean, neutral flavour, while the much cheaper one with similar name but sold in plastic is commodity white vinegar. (Don't get me wrong: I also love Marukan and Mitsukan unseasoned rice vinegars.)

 

[GotGarlic]

I love Heinz White Vinegar. To the best of my knowledge, it was the very first of Heinz' 57000 varieties (with the equally-excellent cider vinegar appearing next). But note that there are two grades: The one sold in glass is the pristine product with very clean, neutral flavour, while the much cheaper one with similar name but sold in plastic is commodity white vinegar. (Don't get me wrong: I also love Marukan and Mitsukan unseasoned rice vinegars.)

Are you saying there is a white vinegar other than distilled white vinegar? Or are you referring to horticultural vinegar with a higher percentage of acetic acid?

I don't understand what you mean by "pristine" and "commodity."

 

[outRIAAge]

Are you saying there is a white vinegar other than distilled white vinegar? Or are you referring to horticultural vinegar with a higher percentage of acetic acid?

I don't understand what you mean by "pristine" and "commodity."

Not at all, just that Heinz sells two distinct grades with different purposes, and doesn't do a very good job of distinguishing them, except by price. I believe they are both 5% vinegars. Taste both and the difference in quality is apparent. I think I learned that from the magnificent Barbara Tropp (RIP). In fact I'll go post her gorgeous recipe for pickled ginger now.

 

[GotGarlic]

Not at all, just that Heinz sells two distinct grades with different purposes, and doesn't do a very good job of distinguishing them, except by price. I believe they are both 5% vinegars. Taste both and the difference in quality is apparent. I think I learned that from the magnificent Barbara Tropp (RIP). In fact I'll go post her gorgeous recipe for pickled ginger now.

According to their website, the cleaning vinegar is 20% stronger than the cooking vinegar. I'd imagine the cleaning vinegar is sold in the cleaning area (I've never looked for it; didn't occur to me there would be another one). Horticultural vinegar is actually 20% acetic acid. I think it's only available to professionals (landscapers, contractors, etc.).