Considering the amount of time spent outside in stifling heat eating mayo-based salads left at questionable temperatures for lengthy periods of time, I’m honestly surprised that summers in the US aren’t National Food Poisoning seasons.

I don’t find mayonnaise particularly refreshing, at any temperature: it’s sticky, dense, and creamy, and I find it difficult to wash the oiliness of mayo out of my mouth with a glass of water. Having been subjected to many a greasy macaroni salad in my time, I set out to conjure a pasta salad that was light yet flavorful, full of complex flavor but still easy to prepare, and didn’t come with a side order of salmonella.

While no food should be left out in the summer sunshine for an afternoon while the family hits the pool, this dish is sure to be a hit at your next picnic.

Picnic-Perfect Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 pound uncooked penne or ziti, cooked al dente, drained, and cooled
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 2 cups sun-dried tomatoes, drained if packed in oil, diced
• 1 cup black olives, chopped or sliced
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add cooked cooled pasta and toss to combine. Add cheese, tomatoes, and olives and toss well. Chill for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to combine. Just before serving, sprinkle parsley on top.

Serves 15-18 as a side dish or 6-8 as a main dish.

This recipe was originally posted at our sister site, Living Behind the Curve, on July 4th, 2007.

I’ve been making this dish for years, for parties and catering jobs. The strudel filling is creamy and luscious, and the syrup topping tastes like candy. The original recipe is from Epicurious, but the version below is my own adaptation. There’s a lot of work involved, and it’s quite time-consuming, but the end product is well worth the effort; for this reason, I will often make a double-batch and freeze the extra before baking.

Goat Cheese and Mushroom Strudel with Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons unmelted
• 1/4 cup shallots, finely diced
• 1/4 cup garlic, finely minced
• 10 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, stems removed, chopped
• 10 ounces button mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup sherry (do not use “cooking sherry”)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dried chopped parsley
• 4 sheets phyllo dough
• 6 ounces creamy goat cheese (pref. Montrachet)
• 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pan set over medium heat, sautee shallots and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add an additional 2 tablespoons butter plus the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid given off by the mushrooms has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to color, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add sherry and cider or wine vinegar. Increase heat to medium-high, and return pan to burner. Cook, uncovered and stirring often, until the pan is almost dry, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and parsley, and set mixture aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese and cream cheese. Do not whip — hands or a wooden spoon work well for this. Filling should be dense but mixed thoroughly. Set aside.

Lay one sheet of parchment on a cold surface. Brush entire sheet with melted butter, and top with second sheet of phyllo. Repeat until all sheets of phyllo are used, ending with a layer of melted butter. Spoon cheese filling onto long side of phyllo, one inch from long edge and 1/2 inch from short edges. Smooth cheese out evenly, and top with cooled mushroom mixture. Roll tightly, starting at long end closest to filling. Place seam side down on greased or lined baking sheet. Brush top with melted butter and score top with a serrated knife. Bake for approximately 1 hour.

While strudel is baking, whisk together balsamic vinegar and molasses. Place in a heavy-bottomed shallow pan over medium-low heat and cook until mixture has thickened significantly and volume has reduced by more than 2/3. Finished syrup should be thicker than caramel and be almost as thick as melted road tar on a hot summer day. Cool to room temperature but do not refrigerate.

Allow strudel to cool slightly before slicing into rounds. Serve warm with a drizzle of syrup on top.

Serves 8 as an appetizer or 3-4 as a main course.