So many memorable old phrases I enjoy using, fine writer that I am. One is, “No good deed goes unpunished.” Another might be, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Which must, of course, be followed by, “Opposites attract.” Following those for no reason at all is, “Great minds think alike.” Which is what I say when I make a dish off the top of my head and begin to write the recipe before realizing I cooked the same (or nearly the same) thing 10 (5 or 15) years ago. Thank goodness “Love is Lovelier the Second Time Around,” (a favorite wedding song of mine) and I absolutely don’t mind “reinventing the wheel.” Roll your eyes now or forever hold your peace. Ok, I’m done. But I really did make almost this very same salad in 2014, though its current appearance is quite distinct from the first and today’s recipe title is “Asparagus-Potato Salad” rather than, “Roasted Potato-Asparagus Salad with Mushrooms and Sweet Onions.” Same difference. Just about.
About this time of year — right after the 4th of July, in fact — the typical grill faves at our house seem to fade off into the proverbial sunset. They’re not nearly so exciting as they were when we dusted off the patio in May and had the first cheeseburger with grilled sweet potato wedges and Sriracha Mayo dip. Or even when the early sweet corn got overly buttered and salted just a week or two ago and I thanked God my dentist had only two weeks before — and for the third time (sheesh) — fixed the snaggletooth chip in my right front tooth. (Just you wait for the Olathe corn coming up next month! I’m ready.) The sides, particularly, feel a bit lackluster. Another ho-hum pasta salad or middle-of-the-road caprese? More lemony green beans?! “What’s for dinner?” begins again, especially as the sun seems to just hang there up in the sky something like forever and it’s hot as ________. Are we bored that easily? It seems we may be. A bit of an embarrassment, isn’t it?
As a cook and a lover of my friends and family, one of my frequent questions to pose is:
What’s your favorite meal?
People will often need a moment because we have so very many things we love. I myself can unequivocally answer,
Pizza!
This even though I often live on eggs, don’t particularly want to live without asparagus, and am rarely more pleased than when there’s beef stew for dinner. I like great individual artisan pizza, take-out or delivery pizza, homemade pizza (my son makes the best), and probably only draw the line at frozen pizza — though I’ll eat Lou Malnati’s anytime, good Chicago girl that I am. I love pizza so much that I’m not picky. (Ok, I don’t do Chucky Cheese.) But I’m amazed how many times Americans will answer, “Hamburgers” when it comes to their favorite food. They include fries more than half the time, I’d wager. (Click HERE for a list of Top 50 American Foods.) And while they love a great or famous burger from a bar, I think they’re even happier with a summertime grilled-at-home version or even a drive-in dive sandwich. (If I jump in the car, I can be at Cy’s in two minutes with a green line down at the corner.) Continue reading →
Chicken and vegetables grill while the pasta cooks. Stir it all together –at the table?– with goat cheese and fresh herbs, and a fast summer pasta is ready for dinner on the deck.
This post celebrates 5 complete years of blogging on MORE TIME AT THE TABLE. Thanks for your loving kindnesses. Here’s to the next five years! Book almost here. I’m reading the proof copy now. So exciting!!
(above: iphone photo by sean anthony morgan)
Ok, now on to the pasta dinner on the grill…
For a few years, I’ve loved making summer pastas mostly on the grill. No big heavy sauce on the stove for hours like wintertime, just a few choice lovelies grilled to perfection and stirred into hot pasta (scroll down for pasta info) with some fresh herbs and maybe a little cheese. If you’ve a burner on the side of your grill, you can do the pasta outside as well and save your kitchen and you from the damp heat. If it’s not too warm, you can use your stove, which may be quicker.
Summer comes and this tortellini salad comes with it. Just ask my family. Full of tender cheese-filled tortellini and lots of chunky vegetables, it’s held together with a brisk mustard vinaigrette and lots of thin slices of sopressata or hard salami. If I’m going to a family event or a church picnic, I make a big bowl of this salad and bring it along. In Minnesota, it goes in the cooler and makes its way up north to celebrate Joe’s and Olivia’s birthdays. The original recipe was, I think, from the COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE years ago, but it has changed quite a bit over time.
I missed Olivia’s birthday this year, but made the salad anyway. See you soon, I hope!
Here in Colorado, it travels up I-25 to Denver for a family afternoon by the pool after a visit to a museum.
This year, Bill made a big hunk of brisket he smoked overnight. Sean brewed some beer and I made (of course) the tortellini salad. Occasionally it morphs just a bit; originally it didn’t have many vegetables. I had to amend that. The resulting salad is fine for a whole meal, but it’s also a total one-dish side for any barbequed meat. You know how pasta salad can be pale, insipid, and less than interesting? Perhaps only filling? Easily left on the plate at picnics? That is what this pasta salad is not.
Nope, we don’t want to get out of the pool. Even for lunch.
This is either Cosmo or Gizmo tending bar. Whichever one, he got no tortellini salad.
Recipe doubles easily to carry along to a big cookout. Cook the pasta in two pots.
Years ago, I read a tortellini salad recipe in the newspaper. Where? When? Whose? I don’t know but this is my long-used, changed-up version. A famous Marcella Hazan quote goes something like, “If I had invented pasta salad, I’d hide.” I like to think this might be the exception.serves 12
Ingredients
Salad:
18-20oz.fresh cheese tortellini-find in cold case at grocery or you could also use frozen cheese tortellini
2small zucchini, cut into ¼” half-moon pieces
1small yellow squash or yellow zucchini, cut into ¼” half-moon pieces
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1red sweet pepper, cut into large matchstick pieces (about ½” x 2”)
1yellow sweet pepper, cut into large matchstick pieces (about ½” x 2”)
1/4cupminced red onion
1/4# hard salami, cut into 1/4″ slices
1/3cupchiffonade of basil, fresh basil cut into thin ribbons — Reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish
1/2cup2 oz freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese — Reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish
Cherry tomatoes for garnish–optional
Vinaigrette:
3clovesgarlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper.
3tablespoonsred wine vinegar
2tablespoonsDijon mustard
1/3cupextra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
COOK TORTELLINI AND SQUASH: In 8-10 qt. stock pot, bring 5-6 quarts well-salted water to boil. Add fresh tortellini and cook about 8 min or according to package directions (Costco fresh tortellini cooks only 2 minutes.) Tip in zucchini and yellow squash for the last minute or two to just take its crispness away.
DRAIN TORTELLINI AND SQUASH: Carefully pour out the pasta and squash into a large colander. While still hot in colander, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch each salt and pepper. Stir gently. Allow pasta and squash to cool, stirring periodically. Carefully turn pasta and squash out into a large mixing bowl.
IN THE MEANTIME, MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE: In large bowl (or food processor), whisk together red wine vinegar, garlic and Dijon mustard. Add a generous pinch each of salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Rest 2 minutes or so. Slowly pour in olive oil and whisk until emulsified (creamy and satiny). Taste and adjust seasonings. Set vinaigrette aside.
MIX PASTA AND SQUASH WITH REST OF INGREDIENTS + VINAIGRETTE/SERVE: To the large mixing bowl with the tortellini and squash, add sliced peppers, red onion, salami, all but 1 tablespoon fresh basil, and all but 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir gently; tortellini can fall apart easily. Drizzle most of dressing onto salad and combine. Taste and adjust seasonings; serve at room temperature, adding a little more vinaigrette if needed. Garnish with reserved basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add cherry tomatoes on top, if using. Store leftovers well-covered in the refrigerator for 3 days. Do not freeze.
TO MAKE AHEAD: This salad is best fresh but… if you must, you can make it ahead: Cook the pasta and cool, chop the vegetables, make the vinaigrette, etc., storing each part separately for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Let everything come at least near to room temperature and then mix, serve, and garnish, slicing and adding basil, as well as the tomatoes (if using) just before serving.
Notes
copyright Alyce Morgan, 2009. Updated, 2025. All rights reserved.
Aunt Carolyn relaxing after lunch.
Sing a new song; make an old tortellini salad, Alyce
