Rosie’s Pasta Salad

Source: Rosie McLaughlin, Jan. 2001

Ingredients

• 1 Egg
• ½ cup Olive Oil
• ½ cup Corn Oil
• ⅓ cup Wine Vinegar
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 1½ teaspoons Pepper
• ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
• ⅛ teaspoon Ground Cloves
• ⅛ teaspoon Tabasco
• 1½ teaspoons Garlic, Minced
• ½ lb. Uncooked Penne
• 1 Olive Oil
• 1 ounce Fresh Spinach
• ½ lb. Prosciutto, Thinly Sliced And Chopped
• 2 teaspoons Vegetable Oil
• ½ cup Roasted Red Peppers, Chopped
• 8 ounces Smoked Mozzarella, Diced Into ½″ Cubes
• Greens
• Additional Parma Cheese, Optional

Method

Creaming Parmesan Dressing: Whiz the egg in a food processor or whisk by hand until light-colored, gradually add the oils so that the mixture emulsifies, and then add the rest of the ingredients.

Salad: Cook the penne until al dente according to package instructions. Refresh under cold water and drain well. Toss with the olive oil to prevent sticking. Wash the spinach well, put it in a large skillet, and heat, while stirring, until it has just wilted (should not take more than a minute). Refresh under cold water, squeeze dry and coarsely chop. Briefly fry the prosciutto in the vegetable oil to frizzle it. Combine the penne with the spinach, half the prosciutto, the peppers, mozzarella and the dressing. Serve on greens. Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese and scatter the remaining prosciutto on top.

Variation

• Creaming Parmesan Dressing (above)
• 2 cups blanched broccoli florets and stems
• 6 ounces salami, diced
• ¾ cup small whole pitted sweet black olives
• ½ lb medium pasta shells (uncooked), cooked until al dente
• Tomato wedges, for garnish
• Additional parmesan cheese

Combine the dressing with the broccoli, salami, olives, and pasta shells. Garnish with tomato wedges and sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese.