It was a bitterly cold week in mid-February and we, like many folk living in Northern climes, decided to get away… further North; to one of our favorite spots in Door County and a rustic, but very nicely equipped, cabin for a long weekend. Our visits always include first night dinner at The Cabin restaurant, but before that, a trip to the local market to pick up some munchies for the weekend…
where I discovered BLT pasta salad in the deli case.
None of us could ever quite figure out where, exactly, the lettuce was in the BLT, but we all agreed it was one fine pasta salad, and I resolved to make my own once I returned home.
Pretty simple to do, and really quite tasty!
INGREDIENTS
Dressing:
•1 cup mayonnaise
•1-1/2 tsp dry mustard
•1 tbsp sugar
•3 tbsp cider vinegar
•3/8 cup sour cream
•1/2 tsp seasoned salt
•1/2 tsp celery salt
•1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
•1 tsp chives
•1 tsp parsley
•1/2 tsp black pepper
Salad:
•2 cups dried pasta
– I used Pennette – drained and rinsed
•Cooked, crumbled bacon
– I used maple roasted bacon
•Grape tomatoes, quartered
•Scallion, sliced
•Lettuce, chopped
-I used Romaine
Note: the secret to good pasta salad is to make enough dressing so that you can toss the cooled, cooked pasta with half and then stash it in the fridge overnight. The pasta will absorb much of the dressing – along with the flavor. This recipe will make about 1-1/2 cup of dressing, so stir half of it – about 3/4 cup – into the pasta the night before you plan to serve your salad.
When you’re ready to finish the salad, stir the remaining dressing into the pasta to coat, then add the bacon, scallion, and tomatoes and toss to mix.
Serve at room temperature on a bed of chopped lettuce.