Ingredients:

  • 1 pound Short-Cut Pasta (Rotini/Fusilli)
  • 3 tablespoons Coarse Sea Salt
  • 3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 2 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Granulated Sugar or Honey
  • Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
  • 1 pint Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved
  • 1 large English Cucumber, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 medium Red Onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup Black Olives (pitted), sliced
  • 1 cup Jarred Roasted Red Peppers, drained and chopped
  • 4 ounces Salami or Pepperoni (optional)
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped (flat-leaf preferred)
  • 6 ounces Feta Cheese, crumbled

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the 3 tablespoons of coarse salt—it should taste like the sea!
  2. Add the rotini/fusilli and cook according to package directions until perfectly al dente (firm to the bite), usually 8–10 minutes. Do not overcook.
  3. Drain the pasta immediately into a colander. Crucially, run it under cold water for 60 seconds to stop the cooking and prevent clumping. Shake well to remove excess water and set aside.
  4. In a small bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper.
  5. Whisk vigorously or shake hard until the dressing thickens slightly and becomes homogenous (emulsified). Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. While the pasta cools, chop all the vegetables (tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, peppers) and cured meats, ensuring all pieces are roughly the same size as the pasta.
  7. Transfer the cooled pasta to a very large mixing bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, roasted red peppers, and any cured meat.
  8. Drizzle about three-quarters (3/4) of the prepared vinaigrette over the salad. Toss gently but thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
  9. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. This chilling period allows the pasta to soak up the flavor of the dressing.
  10. Just before serving, remove the salad from the fridge. Stir in the crumbled feta cheese and fresh parsley. Drizzle with the remaining reserved dressing (if the salad looks dry) and give it one last gentle toss. Serve chilled.