Karen's Pasta Salad

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 16 ounces rotini pasta (not tri-color)
• 10 ounces grape tomatoes (more to taste, up to 16 ounces)
• 2 small green peppers, diced 1/2 inch
• 4 stalks celery, sliced on bias 1/2 inch thick
• 4 ounces black olives, sliced
• 1/2 cup green olives, sliced (optional)
• 1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
• 4 ounces pepperoni, sliced, and slices cut in half
• 6 -8 ounces hard salami, sliced, and slices cut into quarters
• 4 ounces provolone cheese, sliced, and slices cut into eight pieces
• 3/4 cup oil (use all vegetable or canola, or use a combination of ev olive oil and vegetable or canola)
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
• 1 teaspoon pepper (or more, to taste)

Recipe

• 1 salad:.
• 2 cook rotini until not quite done – barely al dente -- so the spirals are still very tight. rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. (the marination of the salad in the dressing will finish “cooking” the pasta perfectly.)
• 3 add remaining ingredients, being careful to separate each slice of meat and cheese when you add it.
• 4 gently mix the dressing into the salad.
• 5 marinate at least 6 hours before serving.
• 6 dressing:
• 7 mix all dressing ingredients together well by using a stick blender, whisk, or just a jar for shaking.
• 8 taste before adding entire mixture to salad to adjust seasonings.
• 9 note: (i frequently prepare a double batch of dressing as sometimes, after marinating in one recipe of dressing, it needs a bit more. the remaining dressing is great on any salad, like fat slices of vine-ripened summer tomatoes with fresh basil, or a greek salad with romaine, feta and olives.