Pasta Salad Recipe 2009-06-25 09:00:26

Ingredients

8 oz. rotini, shells or other short pasta
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 medium-sized zucchini, cut lengthwise into quarters
1 red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
1 bunch scallions, trimmed
1 cup black brine-cured olives, such as kalamata
2 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Prepare medium-hot charcoal fire, or preheat gas grill (or broiler).
2. Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain, and rinse thoroughly to cool.
3. Transfer to large bowl, and toss with 1 Tbs. olive oil.
4. Meanwhile whisk together remaining olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in 9x13-inch baking dish. Add tomatoes, zucchini, red pepper and scallions, and toss to coat with oil mixture. Thread cherry tomatoes on wooden skewers, if using.
5. Transfer zucchini and pepper to grill rack. Grill, turning occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and scallions to grill rack, and cook until all vegetables are tender and grill-marked, 2 to 4 minutes more. Remove from grill, and let stand until cool enough to handle.
6. Chop zucchini, pepper and scallions coarsely, and add vegetables to pasta. Slide tomatoes off skewers onto pasta. Add remaining marinade, olives and herbs, and toss well.

Serves 8.

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