Francesca’s Summer Italian Pasta Salad

This time of year yields many benefits, including the growth of delicious vegetables. With her parsley among the beneficiaries of the calendar, Francesca de la Torre simply removes the plant from her garden and makes it a component of her Summer Italian Pasta Salad.

The inhabitant of the 2600 block of Dudley Street loves to use this creation as an entrée and noted the vegetarian version would make a great addition to picnics. We are bound to have some rainy days come the summer, but when the sun sets its heart on loving us, our Grays Ferry-based submitter’s generosity will leave everyone beaming. ■

Ingredients:

1 pound of cooked farfalle or other small or medium-shape pasta

1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 red onion, diced

1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped flat leaf parsley Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Salt

1/4 cup of nuts to garnish

A 3.5-ounce tin of sardines or oil-packed tuna, optional

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, beans, tomatoes, onion, and parsley. Dress the salad with a drizzle of the vinegar and the oil, and salt it to taste. Add the nuts, and consider finishing with the flaked fish just prior to serving.