Fresh Pasta Salad from Kitchen Belleicious

Welcome back to the kitchen, y’all! I have a new recipe from my daughter over at Kitchen Belleicious.com. She may be mine, but I swanne, that girl can cook! Today’s recipe is Fresh Pasta Salad and she throws a few twists in here that you have to try to believe. Let me walk you through it!

• 1 pound pasta of your choice
• 1/4 cup drained capers
• 1/4 cup halved Manzanilla olives (or any green olive)
• 6-8 halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 can drained chickpeas
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• Sauce:
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

We’ll begin with our sauce. Take two cloves of minced garlic and sauté in a half cup of extra virgin olive oil. Then we’ll add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese and season with our salt and pepper. Set aside. Now, I’ve already cooked and drained a pound of bowtie pasta. To this we’ll add 6-8 cherry tomatoes that we’ve halved, a fourth cup of capers, a fourth cup of green olives, our fried chickpeas and drizzle with our sauce. Oh, wait! The fried chickpeas– I almost forgot. Folks, this is super cool. Drain a can of chickpeas on a paper towel before transferring them to a cookie sheet. Next, you’ll drizzle them with 2 TBSP olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper and 1/2 tsp paprika. Toss well and bake at 400—for 10-12 minutes. They’re delicious in this salad, but they’re really good as a snack, too. (I couldn’t believe it when Jessica told me either, but I tried ‘em and I’m a believer.)

Enjoy Jessica’s Fresh Pasta Salad, y’all. It’s good eating from Kitchen Belleicious.com!

Hugs,
Shellie