Hearty, Wholesome Pasta Salad

Having just returned from Pawley's Island, where multiple homemade dishes were plated and served, I am now overwhelmed with culinary inspiration.  It was a full-on family effort each night; we only chose to dine out once during our 4-night stay.  Homemade beach creations will be the focus of my next few blog posts . . . enjoy!

Mama Suz made a Giada de Laurentiis pasta salad one evening that rocked everyone's flip-flops off.  She added her own touches so that it could be made into a hearty dinner, and it was out of this world!  Packed to the brim with flavor, filled with protein, and jazzed up with herbs, this pasta salad is contagiously delicious. 

Hearty, Wholesome Pasta Salad

Source:  inspired by Giada de Laurentiis

Ingredients:

(we doubled the pasta, tuna & artichokes for our group!)

-1 pound pasta (any bite-sized pasta works)

-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup

-1 small or medium red onion, chopped

-2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

-1 (6-ounce) can Italian tuna packed in oil, drained (the oil gives it so much more flavor)

-2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in 1/2

-1 can (8 oz.) artichoke hearts, chopped

-2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

-2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, removed from stems and chopped

-1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

-1 can hearts of palm, chopped into bite-sized pieces (Mom's addition)

-20-ish medium shrimp (Mom's addition)

-2 bay leaves, Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder (to add to the shrimp - Mom's addition)

-Parmigiano Reggiano (Mom's addition)

-S & P

The Process:

Bring 2 large pots of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta to one pot, and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the shrimp to the next pot.  Add 2 bay leaves, a sprinkling of Old Bay seasoning, and a shake or 2 of garlic powder to the boiling water with the shrimp.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Remove the shrimp and set aside.  Drain the pasta, and make sure to reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.  (This will be used later to help with the consistency of the sauce).  

Heat 1/4 cup oil over medium-high heat in a pan on the stovetop.  Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5 minutes.  Now, it's time to add the garlic - the radiant perfume that catapults from the pan into your nose when combining these ingredients is the best!  Cook the garlic and onions for together for about 30 seconds or so - just enough so that the garlic starts to release it's flavors.    

Next, add the tuna to the skillet, and break it into chunks with a fork.  Add the cherry tomatoes, capers, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, and thyme.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the pasta, the shrimp, the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, and the parsley to a large serving dish.  Toss until all the ingredients are coated, adding a little pasta water, if needed, to thin out the sauce to your desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Add your heart's desired amount of parmigiano-reggiano (this just puts it over the edge)! 

Serve warm, at room temperature, or straight out of the fridge!  We learned, through dining on leftovers, that this pasta salad can be enjoyed multiple ways. 

The tuna and shrimp add robust seafood flavors; the tomatoes, artichokes, and hearts of palm add the most beautiful textures and tanginess; the capers add zing; and, the parsley and thyme bring a bright freshness to each bite. 

This photo does not capture how huge this dish of pasta was, but use your imaginations.  Thank you, Mama Suz, for such a delicious homemade beach creation!