Recipe: Penne and Smoked Mozzarella Salad

Serves 6 8 ounces penne pasta

1 cup Basic Mayonnaise (recipe follows) or any other all-natural mayonnaise

¼ cup water

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup rice vinegar

2 ounces Parmesan or other hard cheese, shredded (½ cup)

1 large clove garlic, minced

1-½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce

Pinch ground cloves

1 jarred roasted red bell pepper, drained and diced

8 ounces smoked mozzarella, diced (2 cups)

5 ounces spinach leaves (about 8 cups), washed, dried and sliced into strips

1. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions indicate. (It will continue to soften as it marinates in the dressing.) Rinse with cold water, drain well and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ¼ cup water, olive oil, vinegar, Parmesan, garlic, pepper, salt, hot sauce and cloves. Fold pasta into the dressing and refrigerate 1 hour.

3. Before serving, fold bell pepper, mozzarella and spinach into pasta. Serve chilled.

Note: This salad may be refrigerated for up to 2 days, but because the spinach tends to wilt, add it just before serving.