Have you cooked with whole wheat pasta? I must admit, I’ve done very little with it. It got a pretty bad wrap when it first came out. I believe I heard the comparison to cardboard being thrown around more than once, which isn’t a great selling point. But whole wheat pasta has come a long way (or so I’ve heard) and sometimes there’s nothing simpler than boiling some noodles in a pot (what? I’ve been sick. leave me alone).

Whole Wheat Rigatoni

I remember having this really delicious whole wheat pasta salad a few years back at a park cleanup project I attended. Sadly, I don’t know how it was made but it is what I attribute the inspiration for today’s recipe to. This dish also introduces something I cook very rarely with: sun-dried tomatoes. It’s something nice to have in the pantry when you’re looking to add a little more tomato flair to your meal. I used sun-dried tomatoes without oil, but feel free to use the kind with. Just keep in mind the amount of additional oil you add.

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Broccoli

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Tomato and Broccoli

1/4 extra virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 handful fresh basil; roughly torn
2 garlic cloves; minced
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes; chopped
4 oz mozzarella cheese; shredded
Juice of half a lemon
2 tomatoes; cored and scored with an X on top
3/4 lb whole wheat pasta (I used rigatoni but I suggest fusilli)
1/2 lb broccoli; large florets chopped in half
Grated parmesan (optional)

In a large pot of boiling water, blanch your tomatoes for 30-40 seconds and remove with a slotted spoon or tongs. Once cool enough to handle, peel and cut along the equator. Remove the seeds, roughly chop and set in a small serving bowl. Mix in the oil, red wine vinegar, basil, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and lemon juice.

Bring the pot back to a boil and cook your pasta per the package’s instructions. When you have about 5 minutes left, add the broccoli. Strain when ready and place in a large bowl. Add the “dressing,” mozzarella and toss to coat. Add parmesan if you so desire, serve and enjoy.

Tags: , , ,

Comments are closed.