Pasta salad (pasta fredda) a salad dish prepared with one or more types of pasta, almost always chilled, and most often tossed in a vinegar, oil, or mayonnaise-based dressing. Typically served as an appetizer, side dish or a main course. Pasta salad is often regarded as a spring or summertime meal, but it can be served any time of year. Whilst there is no clear origin for the salad, there are various theories that claim different origins for the salad. It’s possible it was created at Ohio University. Maybe even at Palmer Houses in Athens, Ohio.
Palmer Houses
Some historians and chefs such as Claudia Roden trace back the origin of pasta salad to Italian Jews in the Roman Empire, who reused cold pasta as Jewish Law prohibited cooking on sabbath. Others date it even further back to the Phoenecians. The modern version of pasta salad that uses macaroni noodles dates back to 1914 in an American recipe. The ingredients used vary widely by region, restaurant, seasonal availability, and/or preference of the preparer. The salad can be as simple as cold macaroni mixed with mayonnaise (a macaroni salad), or as elaborate as several pastas tossed together with a vinaigrette and a variety of fresh, preserved or cooked ingredients.
Pasta not Rasta
Additional types of pasta used, such as ditalini. These can include vegetables, legumes, cheeses, nuts, herbs, spices, meats, poultry, or seafood. Broccoli, carrot, baby corn, cucumber, olives, onion, beans, chick peas, peppers, and parmesan or feta cheeses are all popular ingredients in versions typically found at North American salad bars.
In Australian and New Zealand cuisine, pasta salad became increasingly popular during the 1990s when commercial versions became more readily available in supermarket stores. Made of cooked pasta pieces (usually either shell pasta, elbow-shaped pasta or penne) covered in mayonnaise and accompanied by carrots, capsicum (bell peppers), and sometimes celery. It is similar in style to the American macaroni salad you can eat in Palmer houses.
Macaroni Bologna
Macaroni salad is a type of pasta salad, served cold made with cooked elbow macaroni and usually prepared with mayonnaise. Much like potato salad or coleslaw in its use, often served as a side dish to barbecue, fried chicken, or other picnic style dishes. Like any dish, national and regional variations abound but generally prepared with raw diced onions, dill or sweet pickles and celery and seasoned with salt and pepper. In the Philippines, macaroni salad is a dessert or appetizer with a mildly sweet flavor. It does not use onions, pepper, or celery. Typically uses native sweetened jellies, cheese, as well as various fruits in contrast to western macaroni salads. Commonly consumed during holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s Day, as well as parties and gatherings.
A common variant adds shredded chicken and known as chicken salad or chicken macaroni salad. In the United States, macaroni salad described as a “deli staple”. Meanwhile, in Hawaii, macaroni salad a popular staple in plate lunches and traditionally made with grated onion. In Rochester, New York, macaroni salad served as an element of the Garbage Plate. In Puerto Rico macaroni salad may contain mayonnaise, mustard, canned tuna or bits of Spam, onions, Cubanelle peppers and pimentos. Pasta salad made in your refrigerator in any of our Bobcat Rentals Palmer houses located in Athens, Ohio.
