Pasta Salad Delight

Recipe: Pasta Salad

Estimated preparation time: 45 minutes

Kitchen tools needed:
- Large pot for cooking pasta
- Mixing bowl
- Colander
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Whisk or fork
- Serving plates

Ingredients:
- 8 ounces of pasta (your choice of shape)
- 4 cups of mixed salad greens (such as lettuce, spinach, arugula)
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup of cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup of red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup of black olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup of feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons of fresh basil leaves, chopped

For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the salad greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, black olives, feta cheese, and fresh basil leaves. Toss gently to mix the ingredients.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. The dressing should emulsify and thicken slightly.

4. Add the cooked pasta to the salad bowl and pour the dressing over the ingredients. Toss everything together until the ingredients are well coated with the dressing.

5. Transfer the pasta salad to serving plates and garnish with a sprinkle of feta cheese and additional fresh basil leaves if desired.

6. Serve the pasta salad immediately as a refreshing and fulfilling vegetarian main course for lunch or dinner.

Enjoy your homemade Pasta Salad!