Tinned Tomatoes

Herbful Pasta Salad with Mushrooms

I woke up this morning and looked out of the window to a winter wonderland. Thick, thick snow and it was coming down fast. I just had to go out for a walk, so I wrapped up warm in my walking gear and headed out. It was great and I just love the silence that accompanies a thick layer of snow.

So you might think that this sort of day would call for a hearty bowl of hot soup!

Well, that would have been nice, but I am aching for Spring to arrive. Wishful thinking, maybe, but I want Spring and I want it now! Hence this light and zesty, mushroom and herb pasta salad. After all, when the house is all toasty, you can pretend.

Herbful Pasta Salad

1 tbsp olive oil
12 chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
salt & freshly ground black pepper

2 cups Dishi Volanti pasta

Dressing

1 handful fresh flat leaved parsley
1 handful fresh basil
1 handful fresh dill
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta until al dente and then rinse in cold water, to cool and stop the cooking process. Leave to drain.

Saute the mushrooms in the olive oil and garlic, until soft, then season.

Whizz up the dressing ingredients.

Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, mix in the mushrooms and coat with the herb dressing.

Serves 4 - 6

Graham was sent home from work early because of the snow. A snow day, lucky him. He was very pleased to come home to warm house and a bowl of this pasta salad. It got a big thumbs up!

I am sending this salad over to Ruth at Once Upon A Feast as my entry for Presto Pasta Nights. I haven't entered a dish for ages, but I couldn't miss out on this line-up as it is the 100th edition. So a big congratulations to Ruth and her guest hosts for continuing to present us with a gorgeous selections of pasta dishes every week!