Pasta And Smoked Sausage Picnic Salad

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 14 ounces smoked cooked sausage
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and mashed
• 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta, 2 1/4 cups
• 1 cup frozen green pea, thawed
• 1 cup finely chopped green onion, with green tops
• 2 large medium red ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot, 1 medium carrot
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned
• additional fresh basil (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 bring pan with 2 to 3 inches of water to a boil.
• 2 turn heat off and add sausage.
• 3 immediately cover pan and let sausage stand 15 minutes.
• 4 remove sausage to a plate and let cool in the refrigerator.
• 5 meanwhile, prepare vinaigrette dressing by mixing dry mustard, salt, pepper, garlic and vinegar together in a small bowl.
• 6 slowly whip in olive oil to form an emulsion.
• 7 cook pasta according to package directions.
• 8 drain.
• 9 place in large bowl and toss with 1/4 cup vinaigrette dressing.
• 10 when cool, slice sausage into thin 1/4-inch slices.
• 11 remove garlic clove from vinaigrette dressing.
• 12 add sausage, peas, onion, tomatoes, carrots, 1/4 cup basil and remaining vinaigrette to the pasta.
• 13 sprinkle top with cheese. garnish with fresh basil.