There used to be a local department store here in Chicago called Marshall Field’s. They have since been bought out by Macy’s and it is not the same. They had little lunch counter area which offered a variety of salads for takeaway. My favorite was a dish they called Twisted Tuna Pasta. Of course, I could not eat it post diagnosis, so I needed to figure out a way to develop my own version. I am pretty sure theirs is still better, but this one is awfully good. I bring it to parties and potlucks on a pretty regular basis. Once, I brought this to my preschool aged son’s picnic and the preschoolers got mad that we ran out. I like it for outdoor concerts during the summer and a scoop or three on a bed of lettuce is even a good dinner on a hot day. Like all GF pastas, it does tend to absorb the dressing, so its best to eat it within 48 hours of adding the pasta.
This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free (when made with safflower mayonnaise) peanut-free and tree nut free as well as free of citrus, nightshades, and other undesirables. If you can handle soy but not egg you can use vegenaise.
Most of this can be made a day ahead
Ingredients
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
4 5oz cans tuna
1 1/2 cups mayo (use safflower mayo to avoid soy)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
500g or 1 lb spiral pasta
1 1/2 c frozen peas
Sprinkle of dried parsley for garnish (optional)
Tools
Large Pot for boiling pasta
Large bowl with a lid for mixing ingredients (besides pasta)
Knife for chopping vegetables
Cutting board
Wooden spoon
Instructions
Mix everything but the pasta, parsley and peas in a large bowl. It should look like runny over mayonnaised tuna salad.
This step can be done a day in advance. Just make sure to cover and refrigerate.
On the day you want to serve the salad (and unfortunately not TOO far in advance)
Boil the pasta and remove while a bit al dente
Drain pasta
Add still frozen peas to pasta (they cool it down)
Add mayonnaise mixture
Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
