Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Tri-colour Rotini, Fusilli, or Cavatappi pasta
  • 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt (for boiling water)
  • 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for coating pasta)
  • 4 oz Hard salami or Pepperoni, sliced and quartered
  • 8 oz Small mozzarella balls (pearls or ciliegine), drained
  • 1 cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup English Cucumber, deseeded and diced
  • 1 large Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • ½ cup Kalamata or Black Olives, pitted and halved
  • ¼ cup Finely minced Red Onion
  • ¼ cup Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for vinaigrette)
  • ¼ cup Quality Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced or grated
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  • ¼ tsp Freshly ground Black Pepper
  • ½ tsp Granulated Sugar

Instructions:

  1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the 2 Tbsp of salt. Add the rotini and cook according to package directions, aiming for a true al dente.
  2. Rinse and Dress: Drain the pasta immediately. Rinse thoroughly under cold water for 1-2 minutes until completely cool to stop the cooking process. Toss the rinsed, drained pasta with 1 tsp of olive oil to prevent clumping. Set aside.
  3. Whisk the Vinaigrette: In a jar or small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and sugar. Slowly stream in the ½ cup of olive oil while constantly whisking (or shaking the jar vigorously) until the dressing is well combined.
  4. Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, the salami, mozzarella pearls, halved tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, and minced red onion.
  5. Initial Dress and Chill: Pour about ¾ of the prepared vinaigrette over the salad components and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes (up to 4 hours) to allow the pasta to absorb the flavors.
  6. Finish and Serve: Just before serving, toss in the remaining vinaigrette and the fresh, chopped parsley. Give it a final taste test and adjust seasoning (salt or vinegar) if needed. Serve cold.