smoked mozzarella pasta salad with roasted red bell peppers and baby spinach tossed in creamy dressing

SMOKED MOZZARELLA PASTA SALAD

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for the salad:
12 oz penne pasta, cooked 2-to-3 minutes beyond al dente stage
3 packed handfuls baby spinach, washed and stemmed
9 oz roasted red bell pepper, diced
8 oz smoked mozzarella cheese, cubed or cut into strips

for the dressing:
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 1/2 tablespoons aged white wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon red aleppo pepper
1/2-to-3/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Roast peppers.  Preheat oven to 450F then turn on your broiler.  Cut red bell peppers in half; remove core and seeds and place cut side down on a lightly oiled sheet pan.  Place under the broiler and broil until the skins are wrinkled and charred; this should take anywhere from 20-to-40 minutes.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil or place in sealed plastic bags and set aside for 20-to-30 minutes until slightly cooled down to handle.  Gently peel skin off and set aside to cool.

Prepare dressing.  Add all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until creamy and smooth.

Assemble salad.  Combine all salad ingredients into a large bowl and gently toss with dressing.  Pasta salads are best served at room temperature but don’t let it sit out for more than a couple of hours.

* recipe adapted from the Whole Foods Market Cookbook; found via wholefoodsrecipe.com