I want to make an assortment of gluten-free salads for my sister's party. I have a box of spelt pasta and decide to use it. Rude awakening! Spelt is not gluten-free. It's not even in my dictionary. A Google search reveals it is an ancient, gluten-grain nutty flavored grain. Well, who knew? Just the same, the pasta salad is wonderful and certainly, a gluten-free rice pasta could be inserted. Ordinarily, we make this salad with wheat pasta, in the radiatore shape. I love how the ridges hold the dressing. This is another salad with origins in James McNair's "Salad" cookbook.

In the past, we blanch the various vegetables. This time, I stir fry them to bring up the color but leave a slight crispness. Instead of grating the carrots, I make strips with the vegetable peeler. I also julienne the red peppers. These flavorful vegetables tossed with pasta, fresh herbs and a balsamic dressing makes a great summer time side dish.

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces spelt, rice or wheat pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red pepper, julienne sliced (thin sliced)
• 2 medium carrots, 'peeled' into strips
• 2 medium yellow squash, split lengthwise and sliced into 1/2 moons
• 3/4 pound broccoli crowns, separated into bite-sized pieces
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced on the bias
• 2 tablespoons chives, finely sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Dressing:

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Steps:

Prep the vegetables as per their descriptions in the ingredient list. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet and stir-fry the veggies until their colors are bright. They shouldn't be limp, just take the raw tasting edge off.

Gently combine the pasta with the vegetables. Add the green onions, chives and basil. Add the dressing and toss. I always say, "romance it!"....you don't want to break the pasta. Serve at room temperature.

Rate this Recipe:

Comments:

Add a comment:


Please login to comment. Not a member? Click here...

Recently viewed recipes:

Spelt, Rice or Wheat Pasta Salad with Stir-fried Vegetables