By We have started talking about the wedding in the way you talk about something that cannot happen yet but that you are building toward. We would like a June or July ceremony next year, if next year is anything like a normal year. We would like to have it at St. Linus Church in Oak Lawn, which is where Steve and Patty were married, which is not a requirement but it is where it should be if it can be there. We would like the reception somewhere we can dance, which eliminates approximately forty percent of Oak Lawn venues, which is fine, we will find it.
The wedding planning is a small bright thing to hold onto right now. Everything else is still strange — Chicago is in a partial reopening but it does not feel like things are going back to normal so much as it feels like we are adapting to a new version of uncertain. Ryan is still working. I have been reading and cooking and blog-writing and trying to figure out what fall looks like for teaching.
I made tabbouleh this week, which I had never made before. Bulgur wheat, parsley, tomato, cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil — it is one of those dishes that requires no cooking and pays you back generously for the chopping. I have parsley growing in a pot on the balcony near the hammock, which gives me an unreasonable sense of satisfaction. I used almost the whole bunch for the tabbouleh. Ryan ate two bowls and said it tasted like the summer he worked at a Mediterranean restaurant in college. I said I had no idea he had worked at a Mediterranean restaurant. He said there is a lot I do not know yet. I said there is time.
The blog post was the tabbouleh with a note about growing your own herbs — a trend I have noticed in my reader comments lately. Everyone is growing something this summer. Tomatoes on fire escapes, basil in windowsills. I love this. People who had no relationship with food before March now have plants they are tending. Something shifted and I hope it does not shift back.
The tabbouleh opened something up for me — the idea that a dish could reward you so generously just for chopping, no stove required, and that fresh herbs you grew yourself could taste like an entire season compressed into a bowl. This pasta salad with Italian dressing carries that same spirit: bright, make-ahead, and forgiving in the best way. It’s the kind of thing I want to bring to whatever outdoor gathering we manage to pull off this summer, and later, maybe, to a rehearsal dinner for a wedding that is still just a bright small thing we are building toward.
Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 30 min (plus 1 hr chilling) | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 12 oz rotini or penne pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- 4 oz pepperoni slices, quartered (optional)
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 3/4 cup Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and let cool completely.
- Prep the vegetables. While the pasta cools, halve the tomatoes, dice the cucumber, red onion, and bell pepper, and slice the olives. Chop the parsley.
- Combine. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled pasta with all the vegetables, parsley, and pepperoni if using.
- Dress the salad. Pour Italian dressing over the salad and toss well to coat. Start with 1/2 cup and add more to taste.
- Finish and chill. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top, season with salt and pepper, and stir gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve. Toss once more before serving. Add a splash of extra dressing if the pasta has absorbed too much while chilling.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 290 | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 480mg