Green Beans DO belong.... In Pasta Salad

I am going to state two very opinionated opinions, maybe three... Opinion number One is mentioned in the title. Opinion number two is: Pasta salad should never ever be purely cream based, and opinion number three is: pasta salad should live up to its title of Pasta ***SALAD and consist of mostly salad with the ADDITIVE of a starch, pasta. Thinking of the pasta salad in the grocery store package, which yes is delicious - but no, its not really a salad. Its pasta with mayonnaise and maybe bits of carrot or celery, which really don't feel like they belong, there presence is lacking. If anything, it is more in the realm of macaroni and cheese. Petition to change grocery store pasta salad to Macaroni and Mayonnaise!? Think that will sell? Go big or Go home, and stay true to your title.

Anyways, I am not here to be aggravated over pasta salad ( which I already am), nor am I here to say my opinions matter the most (they do). I am here to deliver the truth, and the truth is this pasta SALAD. It serves pasta and salad, its crisp, and the crunch effect is there ( hence the blanched green beans... a must), its acidic and salty, herby and onion-y! It is also( and very importantly) not straying away from that comfort or nostalgia a macaroni and mayonnaise salad gives you. I too have felt that connection. And to surprise you all, It still has some mayonnaise in it!

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1/2 lb of your pasta of choosing ( specifically a short pasta, I used rigatoni)

• 1 cup ( roughly three) finely chopped scallions

• 1/2 lb of blanched, trimmed and roughly cut ( into bite size pieces) green beans

• a large handful of arugula

• 15 or so halved sun gold or cherry tomatoes

• 1/2 cup parsley

• 1/2 cup dill

• 1/2 cup chives

• salt and pepper

• 1/2 cup feta cheese ( or cheese of your choosing, a goat cheese, shaved parmesan would be nice, whatever)

For the dressing:

• 1 tbsp. dijon

• 1 whole lemon

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1 tablespoon mayonaise

• 1 teaspoon chili oil or chili crisp (optional, can also substitute with red pepper flakes)

• one minced garlic clove

• salt and pepper

• 1/4 cup olive oil plus more for drizzling

Steps:

1. Blanch your green beans: Prepare a medium-ish sized pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. In the mean time, trim and clean all your beans. Place in the pot once water comes to a boil and let simmer in there for about 2 minutes. Once finished, place in a cold ice bath and let sit. This allows the beans to stay crisp and crunchy rather than that soggy and cooked effect.

2. Place the same pot or another pot back on the stove with water for your pasta, let come to a boil.

3. Chop up all of your salad materials, green beans, finely chopped herbs, scallions, and halved cherry tomatoes. place in a large bowl. Add a heaping handful of arugula as well. Pinch of salt and scrunch of pepper.

4. Once water is boiling, Salt heavily ( thank You Claudio) . Place pasta of your chosing into your pot and let cook until ardent, around 7-10 minutes dependent on your pasta. If this makes you nervous, just check after 7 minutes and assess.

5. Continue onto the dressing: in a small liquid measuring cup add in all of the dressing ingredients, whisk and set aside.

6. Drain pasta and immediately put into the bowl with the salad materials, the hot pasta will wilt the arugula a bit, which is what we want. Add in feta cheese, mix and allow the feta and arugula to melt amongst the warm pasta. Add your dressing after, salt and pepper to taste, maybe an extra drizzle of olive oil ( always) and toss toss toss!

xoxox

Sarah