Hot Campanelle Salad with Garlic, Pistachios, Cranberries, and Herbs

Hot Campanelle Salad

I'm in the mood for pasta - in the form of a "salad" but still hot (although on a blazing day after a hike in the sticks I would totally go for this already prepared and chilled - I cannot deny).  But right now... I'm feeling this as a hot dish vegan style.

The Ingredients:

• 2 oz (one serving) Campanelle Pasta
• 1 small Garlic Clove
• 15 Pistachio Nuts
• 1 oz Dried Cranberries
• 1 Tbsp Italian Vinaigrette
• dashes of the following to taste: Thyme, Mint, Salt, and Pepper

What to do:

1. Cook pasta al dente for roughly 10 minutes in boiling water.
2. While pasta is cooking, rough chop garlic, remove pistachio shells, and mix garlic, pistachios, and cranberries in bowl.
3. When pasta is done, drain water, add vinaigrette to pasta, and stir to coat.
4. Add bowl of garlic, pistachios, and cranberries to pasta and mix.
5. Season your salad to taste w/ thyme, mint, salt, and pepper.
6. Pig out while still hot.

The Ingredients

Cooked/Drained Campanelles

My thoughts:

A lot of changes can be made here: from different pasta shapes, to different nuts, to different herbs... make this salad your own and it doesn't have to be vegan (different hard cheeses would be good w/ this).  Beware when you measure out your serving of campanelle.  Two ounces dry is one serving and it looks like there is barely anything in the bowl; however, when the pasta cooks up (and it may take a while to cook if you want it more tender than al dente) it's volume will increase.  I went a bit heavy on the garlic - in fact, I will probably go w/ 1/2 a clove next time; however, rock out w/ a whole clove if you REALLY love garlic.  This is excellent hot - I love the vinaigrette on this at a higher temperature...yum!  I think it would be great cold as well - I'm thinking of pre-making this in the future, chilling, and packing in a cooler to go w/ me for an after hike boost ;-)  Enjoy!