It’s summertime in the T.C. And while we don’t exactly have the saltwater breezes and Adam Brody, it still gets HOTT. And that means one thing: we want our noshes cold and salty (preferably with a crisp bottle of white wine al fresco).
This cold ravioli pasta salad puts an upscale spin on the italian-dressing penne salads by using easy, pre-made ravioli marinated in olive oil, balsamic, loads of parmesan and a few good olives. Prepare on Friday and you don’t have to lift a finger on Shabbat! (And it is parve.) It also takes about ten minutes to make if you have two or three small children nipping at your heels.
Time saver alert: Buy pre-made ravioli or tortellini! I think Trader Joe’s has a great selection. For this recipe, I used their truffle and mushroom ravioli.
boiling in the pot
I added some frozen broccoli right into the boiling water with the raviolis to save time and dish cleaning. You can use fresh or frozen and feel free to experiment with other vegetables like peas or asparagus.
Then, I dressed the salad liberally with EVOO and some balsamic before adding a dozen or so rich kalamata olives. Finish with parmesan and let the dish sit for at least 3 hours in the fridge.
Ravioli Pasta Salad with Olives
- 1 package pre-cooked ravioli
- 2 tbsp good olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup broccoli (peas or asparagus)
- 3 tbsp capers (optional)
- Lots of parmesan, at least 1/4 cup or to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- Cook pasta for 3-5 minutes with frozen/fresh vegetables to blanch.
- Drain pasta and wash in cool water with vegetables
- Mix in oil, vinegar, olives, capers and seasoning
- Marinate for at least 3 hours.
- Enjoy with a nice crusty loaf of bread and fruit of the vine. L’Chaim!
