I know! It has been a while since I have had a chance to post anything new. Life gets that way sometimes.
I started a new job and we had a going away party for one of the team. I asked what they needed to fill in the meal. I was asked to bring a pasta salad. So off to the internet I went in search of ideas. I got some ideas and then set to paper what I needed. I knew I wanted it to be an antipasto type of pasta salad, and I like the color the tri color pasta brings. Here is what I came up with.
With the holiday weekend upon us, this will go great with your BBQ’s and fireworks!
Antipasto Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 pound tri color pasta
- 1/4 pound Genoa salami, chopped
- 1/4 pound pepperoni sausage, chopped
- 1/2 pound Asiago cheese, diced
- 1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 16 oz can artichoke hearts packed in water, sliced
- 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style
Salad dressing mix
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, and cool under cold water.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, salami, pepperoni, Asiago cheese, black olives, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and artichoke hearts. Stir in the envelope of dressing mix. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Just before serving, pour dressing over the salad, and mix well.
Have some fun with this! You can garnish with sliced or diced Roma tomatoes, or add some of your favorite Italian ingredients. Remember fresh ingredients for the parsley and oregano, dried will not deliver the same flavor.
