Title: Ultimate Pasta Salad
Categories: Salad Pasta
Yield: 8 Servings

1	lb	Pasta; * see note
8	oz	Italian salad dressing
1	c	Sliced ripe kalamata olives
		Or green olives w/pimientos
		===garnishes===
		Leaf lettuce
		Parmesan cheese
		(whole) olives
1	lg	Tomato; seeded & chopped
		Fresh parsley sprigs
		===herb garlic mayonnaise===
1 1/2	c	Mayonnaise; or less
2	tb	Olive oil
2	tb	Red wine vinegar
1/2	c	Chopped fresh parsley
2		Cloves minced garlic or
1/4	ts	Garlic powder
2	tb	Chopped green or red onion
1	tb	Snipped fresh basil or
1	ts	Dried basil
1	tb	Snipped fresh oregano or
1	ts	Dried oregano
1/2	ts	Freshly ground black pepper

* Spiral, mostaccioli, or vermicelli suggested.

Begin the salad the day before serving. Cook pasta, drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Toss with commercial Italian dressing and olives. Cover and chill overnight. Since the dressing may not cover all the mixture may be put in ziplock plastic bag or tilt bowl to mix a couple of times while marinating. About 8 to 12 hours before serving combine ingredients for Herb Garlic Mayonnaise. Discard any excess Italian dressing from pasta, then mix pasta thoroughly with mayonnaise. Cover and chill. To serve, line platter or oval bowl with lettuce leaves, turn out pasta. Top with Parmesan and garnish with whole olives, chopped tomato and parsley. Serves 8 to 10.

Source: "Presentations. . . a collection of culinary favorites"; Friends of Lied; Lied Center for the Performing Arts; University of Nebraska - Lincoln; Lincoln, Nebraska. Formatted for Meal Master by: Nancy Filbert - Prodigy ID - LRCE87A; April, 1997. Lynn Thomas' notes: Made this 8-14-97. Omitted garnishes, used 5 cloves garlic, Kraft fat free Italian Dressing, tuna, feta cheese, 20 slices cut-up turkey salami, 15 cherry tomatoes, halved and used plain rotini. Made the dressing the day before and the pasta in the morning and marinated it for 8 hours. This was the BEST pasta salad I've ever tasted.

Posted to MM-Recipes Digest V4 #10

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