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¾ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 medium bell pepper (any color), diced

Half a medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced

1. Put a large pot of cold water to boil over high heat, and add a tablespoon of salt. Place a large colander in the sink. When the water boils, add the pasta, keeping the heat high. Cook for the amount of time recommended on the package, tasting a piece of pasta toward the end of the suggested time to be sure it is not getting overcooked. When it is just tender enough to bite into comfortably but not yet mushy, dump the water-plus-pasta into the colander. Shake emphatically to drain.

2. While the pasta is cooking, combine the olive oil, garlic, onion, Parmesan, vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl (a wide, shallow one works well) and whisk to blend. As soon as the hot pasta is thoroughly drained, add it to the bowlful of dressing, stirring to coat all the pasta. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

3. Add the bell pepper and cucumber, and mix gently but thoroughly. Serve at room temperature, or chill and serve cold.

GET CREATIVE

Use other pasta shapes (bowties, campanelle, shells) in place of some or all of the fusilli. Or try rainbow fusilli (a mix of white, red, and green; often sold in bulk bins) for extra color.

Make this with high-quality olive oil.

Whisk a teaspoon or two of mayonnaise into the olive oil mixture.

Just before serving, toss in a generous handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley and/or about 25 basil leaves, cut into strips.

When adding the bell pepper and cucumber, toss in any of the following:

-Up to 1 cup tiny cherry tomatoes (or regular-sized ones, cut in half)

-Up to ½ cup small pitted olives (any kind you like)

-Up to ½ cup grated or minced carrot, celery, or radishes, for crunch

-Up to 1 cup raw or leftover cooked vegetables (such as zucchini, green beans, or peas)

-Up to ¼ cup minced scallion (white and tender green parts)

-¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts or chopped toasted walnuts

-Cubes of mild cheese (fontina, mozzarella)

-Crumbles of crumbly cheese (feta, goat cheese, ricotta salata)

Make this vegan by using eggless noodles and omitting the Parmesan cheese.

old-fashioned iceberg wedges with luxurious bleu cheese dressing

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Once upon a time, iceberg lettuce (the clownishly round, very pale green variety) was the only salad green on most American dinner plates. Then for years it seemed to have been banished from all venues except for low-end salad bars and Mexican combo platters. But even though more fashionable species of deeper-hued, smaller, shapelier salad greens replaced it in discriminating culinary circles, in recent years iceberg has made a major comeback as the uber-cool wedge, its mildness offset with a big-flavored bleu cheese dressing. It’s nice to serve this on individual salad plates. It’s even nicer if you chill the plates first (everything about this dish should be cold) by stacking them in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving time.

With a very simple dressing and minimal lettuce prep, this is a good recipe for beginners. When shopping for iceberg lettuce, buy the tightest, greenest head you can find. You can use any kind of bleu cheese. Some are saltier and more pungent than others, and prices vary widely. Try different kinds until you find your favorite. The dressing can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator until just before serving.

luxurious bleu cheese dressing

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup mayonnaise

½ cup crumbled bleu cheese

salad

1 large head (about 1 pound) iceberg lettuce, chilled

Freshly ground black pepper

1. To make the dressing, combine the buttermilk and mayonnaise in a medium-sized bowl, and whisk until blended. Continue whisking as you sprinkle in the bleu cheese. Continue to mix, mashing the cheese a bit. The cheese will mostly, but not completely, blend into the mixture. There will be some small lumps. You want them there. It’s part