Caterina Rossetti has lived in Italy for many years so she knows how to cook Italian-style. This Sacred Hearts Academy graduate invented this easy pasta salad for a vegan friend. Her many meat-eating friends also enjoy it. It is fresh and vibrant and is perfect during the hot months. She says the best shaped pasta to use is orecchiette, or little ears, its bowl-shape captures the tasty sauce. She prefers ripe Roma tomatoes for the sauce as that is what they use in Italy. Sun-dried tomatoes (that are not in oil) add a pop of salty umami flavor. Add olive oil and basil leaves to complete the sauce. Caterina advises that Italians would never add pepper to this dish. Some may add Parmesan cheese or olives, but that would make it a different dish. Her simple pasta salad recipe is so delicious you may find yourself making it again and again.

Caterina Rossetti’s Summertime Tomato Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 12 cups water

• 2 tablespoons rock salt

• 1 pound orecchiette dried pasta

• 6-8 ripe Roma tomatoes

• 3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, not in oil, julienne cut

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup sweet basil leaves, substitute Thai basil leaves

• Optional: additional olive or canola oil and salt to taste

Directions:

In a large stock pot, boil water with rock salt. Cook pasta in water according to instructions, about 10 minutes. Stir every few minutes, as this shape tends to stick together. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain and place in large bowl. Remove stems from unpeeled tomatoes and roughly chop. Pulse tomatoes in a food processor until pulpy. Add to pasta and mix. Add olive oil, julienned sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Toss. Add additional olive or canola oil if it seems dry. Taste and add salt, if desired. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. Best served the same day it is made.

Makes about 6-8 servings.

Lynette Lo Tom is the author of cookbooks A Chinese Kitchen and Back in the Day. Reach her at lynette@ brightlightcookery.com.