Curry Pasta Salad

For the 4th of July, I wanted to make some kind of pasta salad, but something different than the typical Italian or Greek styles I normally make. I remembered a curry pasta salad I'd once had. The flavor of the dressing had been really good but it was basically just pasta, raisins or currants and celery. It just hadn't had enough to it for my liking.

I browsed a half dozen recipes that I found online and got ideas for what I'd put in mine. I really enjoyed this! With each bite you got a wide range of flavors and texture. I enjoyed a bowl the next day with the addition of a little honey drizzled on top, so I may experiment with adding a little honey to the dressing next time. And while I liked it with the mini bow-ties, I will most likely make it with orzo next time just to be different. I will also add extra apple. As a time saver, I bought my carrots precut into matchsticks and chopped them, instead of shredding them.

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8 oz. (1/2 of a box) mini farfalle pasta
1 fuji apple, chopped ( I drizzled with lemon juice to keep from browning)
¼ cup chopped celery
½ cup golden raisins
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup carrots, shredded or julienned and chopped
Toasted almond silvers

Dressing:
3 tbsp light mayo (I used the kind with olive oil)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool under cold running water.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, blend dressing ingredients.
3. Add pasta, chickpeas, carrots, celery, raisins and apple to bowl, and mix gently.
4. Chill until ready to serve. Top with toasted almonds just before serving.