Cook the pasta in a large quantity
of salted boiling water according to package directions.
Don't overcook - if there was ever
a time for al dente pasta, it's now.
While the pasta is cooking, trim
the broccoli into bite-size florets.
Peel the carrot and slice it into
thin disks, about 1/8" thick.
Just before the end of the pasta's
cooking time, add the carrots and broccoli to the cooking water and
return it to a boil.
Let it cook less than 2 minutes
until the vegetables soften just slightly and the pasta is al dente.
Dump it into a colander and run
cold water over all.
Drain well.
Place the pasta and vegetables in
a large bowl and add dressing.
Start with about half the bottle
and add more if desired.
Toss lightly to coat.
If using olives, slice them and
add to the pasta with the Parmesan cheese.
You can eat it now or chill for a
couple of hours.
Store it tightly covered in a
glass or plastic container in the refrigerator.
Serves 4-6
Pasta salad
from supermarket salad bars can be soggy and overdressed - better to
make your own. But you can buy pre-chopped fresh vegetables from a salad
bar. Take one container for harder vegetables such as cauliflower,
broccoli, and squash, so you can quickly blanch them in the pasta water;
take another one for snow peas, mushrooms, and baby corn, which can be
added to the salad directly.