Expert: Teri Davis Newman - 9/6/2008

Question
My daughter is having pizza catered for her outdoor/informal wedding.  We will be preparing a green salad and pasta salad that will be brought to the tables in one large dish and served family style.  Do you have a great pasta salad recipe and ingredient list for 200.  Also, can this be prepared a day in advance?  Any other ideas that you might think would compliment this type of menu is greatly appreciated.  Thank you-Mother of the Bride

Answer
Dear Sherry,
I do indeed have a nice pasta salad that can be made in advance, and scaled to feed 200.  You might need to add a little more dressing the next day since the pasta will soak it up overnight, but it's very good. I'd serve beer and wine with the pizza/pasta fest, and if you aren't having a traditional wedding cake, I'd go with cheesecake. You can buy Cheesecake Factory plain cheesecake at Costco for about $10 for each 4-pound cheesecake that is pre-sliced into 12 servings so your cost per person is less than $1 per head--an unbeatable deal! You'd need approximately 18 cheesecakes for 200 guests--but $180 is a lot cheaper than a wedding cake.  I happen to be a wedding planner by trade so if you need any more help, don't hesitate to ask!
Italian Pasta salad for 200
17 pounds (uncooked) rotini pasta
1 gallon plus 1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
1 gallon plus 1 cup salad dressing
17 cups grated Parmesan cheese
17 red bell peppers, diced
17 green bell pepper, chopped
17 red onion, diced
17 cups sliced black olives (optional)
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, Italian salad dressing, Caesar dressing, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and red onion. Mix well and serve chilled or at room temperature.  If you make ahead, add the dressing just before serving or the past will soak it up and you will need more.