I've invited some friends to share all things picnic in celebration of upcoming International Picnic Day (06.18.12). Today's post is from the lovely Victoria of vmac+cheese!
When Nikki sent me a note and told me it was International Picnic Day, I felt instantly happier. Who doesn't love a good picnic? I know I do!! Whether it's a small affair with just a baguette, some cheese, and fruit, or something much grander (I once went to a picnic where someone brought a fondue maker), there's nothing to lift the spirits like getting outside with friends, enjoying the sunshine, and yeah, okay, stuffing your face.
One of my go to items for a picnic or any sort of backyard barbecue is a pasta salad. You'll instantly make friends with the vegetarians, and it provides a light side dish option for everyone! I recently made a dish I named Puttanesca Pasta Salad, and it's the perfect thing for a picnic. You can serve it warm, room temperature, or cold, and it easily holds overnight if you want to make it ahead. Plus, it's super easy to make! Here's the recipe:
Puttanesca Pasta Salad
Easily serves 4 as a meal; 6-8 as a side dish
1/2 pint spicy marinated pitted olives, drained (I got mine from the olive bar at Whole Foods)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
-freshly ground black pepper, extra virgin olive oil
10 oz conchiglie (shell) pasta (you can also substitute rotini, rigatoni, penne -- basically anything except long noodles)
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- extra parsley leaves for garish
OPTIONAL: cooked diced chicken
In a food processor, combine the olives, and any juice (up to maybe a tablespoons worth), the cheese, the garlic, and the parsley leaves. Grind the black pepper, then pulse until the mixture is coarse. Open the top of the food processor and scrape down the sides. Put the top back on, and with the machine on, begin drizzling in the olive oil. You'll need about 1/4-1/2 cup to get a smooth, pesto like consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again if need be to mix the ingredients well.
Transfer the olive mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add in the chopped orange bell pepper and the tomatoes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions, then reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta in a colander, without shaking it too much - you want to retain some of the pasta water. Pour the pasta over the veggies and the olive mix, then toss to combine. The olive mixture will coat the pasta, but if you want it a little thinner, add a couple of tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. If you're using chopped chicken, add it now. Garnish with the parsley leaves and serve - it's great warm or cold, and will last a few days in the fridge!
Thanks for having me today to celebrate International Picnic Day, Nikki! I share lots of similar recipes on my blog, vmac+cheese, along with lots of other fun stuff, so be sure to stop by!
{Image credits: Madam Stoltz; Style Me Pretty; Apartment Therapy; Victoria McGinley for vmac+cheese}
