Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

Do you ever have really vivid taste memories? For years, I'd have moments where I could taste a fruity candy I ate as a 4 year old..

A few marvelous summers in my childhood, I spent a week with my aunt and uncle in Austin, Texas. They are responsible for first widening my culinary scope; they fed me weird foods and let me play around in their kitchen. I cooked before then, but their kitchen seemed magical, probably because I saw them so little and it was just us (meaning I got all the attention). Looking back, they spoiled me. I loved it. They took my joy of kitchen and made it just a bit more.

But anyhoo... one time my aunt and I made this light pasta salad-ish dish. At the amazing Central Market, we had purchased some cute flower-shaped pasta. We basically cooked the pasta, drained it, then tossed it olive oil, tomatoes, and fresh basil. Salted to taste. (I believe. My memory is a little fuzzy, but that seems to be the correct taste combination).

After a few days of craving this, I decided it would go well with the pork milanese. I couldn't find the right pasta, so I just used orzo, which I couldn't drain well..


I ate this warm; Aunt Nan and I had it chilled. I loved it; it brought back such great memories.

By the way, I found the flower shaped pasta at a Mexican market I happened across after eating at the Indian place in town. We went in on a whim and I found not only the pasta, but fairly priced star anise AND a Mexican Coca Cola, made with actual sugar.