Serves: 6-8
1 pound Ditalini pasta, cooked
1/4 cup olive oil
Grilled vegetables:
2 medium red bell peppers, grilled then cut into 1-1 1/2 inch strips
2 small eggplants, quartered and grilled
2 small yellow squash, bias cut 1 inch and grilled
2 small zucchini, bias cut 1 inch and grilled
16 ounces red wine vinaigrette
4 tablespoons basil chiffonnade*
3 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
Salt
Pepper
Mixed salad greens:
1 bag (6 ounces) baby mixed greens
1 small head of Bibb lettuce, washed and dried and cut into 1 inch strips
1/4 small red cabbage, cut into thin shreds
To prepare grilled vegetables, toss vegetables with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Place vegetables on a hot grill or grill pan and cook until marked, turn to cook on the other side until marked. Vegetables should be cooked but still a bit firm. Set aside, cut eggplant into 1 inch slices. Mix the cooked pasta with the grilled vegetables and 1 cup red wine vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently, add more vinaigrette as needed and correct the seasoning. Place salad greens in pasta bowl and top with pasta salad. Sprinkle basil chiffonnade on top and place tomato wedges around salad.
*To make basil chiffonnade, wash and dry fresh basil leaves. Stack one on top of another. Hold with one hand and slice with a knife to make thin threads.
