Pasta Salad with Olives, Gorgonzola and Sun-dried Tomatoes
(just threw this together)
From: Carolyn D'Agostino
1 lb fusilli
olive oil, extra virgin
balsamic vinegar
handful of fresh basil, chopped
1 lb olives (before pitting), pitted and chopped
1 4 oz jar sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced (mine were big cloves, or I'd use more)
one red onion, sliced thinly
a couple of handfuls of shredded carrots, for color
a handful of fresh Italian flat leaf parsely, chopped
one head (smallish) of radicchio, cut into chiffonade
8 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
pinch cayenne pepper
Cook fusilli until just a bit past al dente. Run cold water over, which will firm it up to al dente again. (If you cook pasta for pasta salad as if you were going to serve it hot, when you chill it by running cold water on it, it firms up a bit, and it would be too hard).
Combine with remaining ingredients, add vinegar in small doses to taste, until it tastes right to you. Add olive oil the same way. I don't measure anything. You probably won't need any salt, because of the olives and cheese. Best to chill it for a while to let the flavors blend.
This rocks! If I say so myself (and when have I been modest?)