Whole Wheat Orecchiette Pasta Salad with Roasted Asparagus, Red Bell Pepper, and Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 12 oz. brown Crimini mushrooms, cut into thick half in slices
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into thick strips about 1 inch long
• 2 T olive oil
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb. whole wheat Orecchiette pasta
• Salt, for pasta cooking water
• 1/2 cup thickly sliced green onion
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup freshly ground Parmesan
• 6 T purchased Italian Dressing
• 1 tsp. Spike Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400F/200C. Snap one asparagus spear to find the tough end, then use that as your guide to trim the rest and slice the spears into 1 inch lengths. Remove the stem and seeds from the red bell pepper, then slice it into pieces about 1 inch long. Rinse the mushrooms if they need it, then cut them into thick slices, or into half-slices if they are on the larger side.
2. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl, drizzle with 2 T olive oil, and toss until coated. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to suit your taste.
3. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil or nonstick spray, then spread the vegetables out in one even layer. If the pan seems too full, use 2 pans so the vegetables have room to roast rather than steam.
4. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables have begun to wrinkle but are not fully soft. As they cook, put water in a medium pot, stir in about 1 tsp. salt, and bring it to a boil.
5. Take the vegetables out of the oven and leave them on the baking sheet to cool for 4-5 minutes. While they cool, whisk the salad dressing with the Spike Seasoning and coarse ground pepper. Chop the parsley and slice the green onions.
6. Once the vegetables have cooled a bit, transfer them to a colander in the sink and let any extra moisture drain away. Do not rush this part, or the finished salad can turn watery. Return the drained vegetables to the bowl, toss them with 3-4 T of the dressing mixture, and let them marinate.
7. When the salted water reaches a boil, add the pasta, stir it, and lower the heat so it bubbles gently. Cook the pasta until it is just barely al dente, using the package time as your guide. Pour it into a colander in the sink, rinse with COLD water, and drain thoroughly, stirring now and then to keep it from clumping.
8. When the pasta has drained well, combine it with the marinated vegetables. Add the remaining dressing, parsley, and green onions, then stir carefully to bring everything together. Mix in the freshly-grated Parmesan, stir once more, and serve the salad slightly chilled or at room temperature.
9. The salad will still be good after a night in the refrigerator, though this style of pasta salad is at its best soon after it is assembled.