Any tips for keepng pasta salads from absorbing the dressing?
- Thread starter dawn_mo
- Start date
I'm not sure why you would want it NOT to absorb the dressing.
The pasta salads I make, mostly in summer, are served cold and you put the dressing on when you make it, put in refer, then bring to room temperature prior to serving and give it another toss. If you make them to serve warm, you can put the dressing on at the last minute, that way the pasta would not have time to absorb and dressing. I think an oil coating would keep any dressing from adhering to the pasta.
The pasta salads I make, mostly in summer, are served cold and you put the dressing on when you make it, put in refer, then bring to room temperature prior to serving and give it another toss. If you make them to serve warm, you can put the dressing on at the last minute, that way the pasta would not have time to absorb and dressing. I think an oil coating would keep any dressing from adhering to the pasta.
Dawn_MO - You cannot go wrong with Pam Anderson's Five Steps To Perfect Pasta Salad (her dressings
are wonderful).
http://www.allrecipes.com/HowTo/Five-Steps-to-Perfect-Pasta-Salad/Detail.aspx
are wonderful).
http://www.allrecipes.com/HowTo/Five-Steps-to-Perfect-Pasta-Salad/Detail.aspx
dawn_mo
Well-known member
I am going to be selling them prepackaged at the Farmer's Market.
So, I won't be able to add more dressing once they are packaged. I recently made a tuna pasta salad and over the days that we ate it, it was nice and moist day 1, but day 3 it was on the dry side. Do you have a favorite salad that you make? Thanks, Karen!
So, I won't be able to add more dressing once they are packaged. I recently made a tuna pasta salad and over the days that we ate it, it was nice and moist day 1, but day 3 it was on the dry side. Do you have a favorite salad that you make? Thanks, Karen!
dawn_mo
Well-known member
What a fantastic article, thank you so much. Maybe
I should be selling the salad dressing in a separate container for them to add to their own salad. I sold pasta salads before, but I was able to make them the day of the market, and I will have to make them the day before now.
I should be selling the salad dressing in a separate container for them to add to their own salad. I sold pasta salads before, but I was able to make them the day of the market, and I will have to make them the day before now.
richard-in-cincy
Well-known member
what I do
for taking to potlucks, etc. when it will have to keep for awhile, is to toss the pasta or grain, or potato with a little oil before dressing. Drain, place in an ice water bath to cool, drain again, then drizzle with a little oil, toss lightly to coat, then proceed with your recipe. The oil coats the starch and prevents it from sucking all the dressing up.
Refrigerating the pasta overnight also does wonders for keeping it from soaking up dressing (method of Szechwan Sesame Noodles). I coat the pasta with oil before refrigerating to prevent sticking together.
for taking to potlucks, etc. when it will have to keep for awhile, is to toss the pasta or grain, or potato with a little oil before dressing. Drain, place in an ice water bath to cool, drain again, then drizzle with a little oil, toss lightly to coat, then proceed with your recipe. The oil coats the starch and prevents it from sucking all the dressing up.
Refrigerating the pasta overnight also does wonders for keeping it from soaking up dressing (method of Szechwan Sesame Noodles). I coat the pasta with oil before refrigerating to prevent sticking together.
dawn_mo
Well-known member
Thanks everyone! I am going to try a test run using the oil
method Richard posted. The pasta salads will be at least 24 hours old, when I take them to the market, and I don't want them dry. I will make sure all of the ingredients are cold when added to the salads. Thanks again!
method Richard posted. The pasta salads will be at least 24 hours old, when I take them to the market, and I don't want them dry. I will make sure all of the ingredients are cold when added to the salads. Thanks again!