A refreshing summer pasta salad was the hit of the last shower I attended. It had colorful highlights of asparagus and yellow peppers, but the real star was that dressing……sweet and tangy. (I added an alternative dressing with less sugar, however the first dressing is my fave!) The finishing touches included shaved Parmesan, toasted pine nuts and sliced green onions. Perfect for your summer picnics. Thanks for the recipe Marlene!
Tortellini Salad with Lemon and Asparagus
Serves 8-10
2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 lb fresh asparagus spear, trimmed & ct into 1 inch pieces
1 large yellow sweet pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1⁄2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1⁄2 cup sliced green onion
1⁄4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Dressing
3 teaspoons lemon zest
6 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup sugar (you can add up to 1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
**Adjust flavors to taste
**Dress slowly, just to cover. (You may have extra)
Alternate Dressing (less sugar)
1 1⁄2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1⁄3 cup lemon juice
3⁄4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced
Cook tortellini according to package directions. Add asparagus and sweet pepper the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain. Rinse tortellini & vegetables with cold water. Drain again. Mix with 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Refrigerate 2-24 hours.
For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine lemon peel, lemon juice, oil, mustard, sugar, salt and garlic. Cover. Shake well.
In a large bowl place tortellini & vegetables. Add dressing and toss to coat.
Just before serving stir in cheese, green onions and pine nuts.
