Although this recipe has been around quite a while, it still seems to be unknown to many. At a recent church function I was asked two questions about it: “What is this?” and “Can I have the recipe?” It makes a lot and is a very satisfying side dish or light dessert.
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cup pineapple juice (reserved from canned pineapple)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 16-ounce package Acini de Pepe pasta
2 11-ounce cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved
2 20-ounce cans pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved
1 9-ounce carton non-dairy whipped topping
marshmallows
coconut
maraschino cherries, halved
1. Combine sugar, flour, pineapple juice, and eggs in a medium saucepan stirring well to combine. Cook over medium heat until thickened stirring often. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
2. Cook Acini de Pepe pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside to cool. (Unless you have a sieve-type large colander, you may have to line your colander with paper towels like I did…..otherwise the pasta will escape through the holes!)
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooled egg mixture and the cooled pasta. Cover tightly with plastic wrap (or lid if you have it) and refrigerate until serving time.
4. When ready to serve add the fruit, whipped topping, marshmallows, coconut, and cherries.
Notes:
- The amounts for the marshmallows, coconut, and cherries are up to you. I like a lot of each, so I added almost a whole bag of mallows, about half a bag of coconut, and a large jar of cherries.
- This salad keeps well in the fridge after the initial serving but is always best right after the last ingredients are added. To “freshen” it up a bit after it’s been in the fridge, just add some more whipped topping.
- Acini dep Pepe pasta is not hard to find in most grocery stores. It’s just with all the other pastas, not in a special section or anything. It looks like little balls….it’s the “frog eye” in this salad.