1 pound of dry pasta such as fusilli, penne, rotini, or farfalle
1 cup of bell pepper slices, 1 medium-sized
1 cup of zucchini cut thinly, 1/2 of a medium-sized zucchini
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
5 to 6 scallions, finely cut, measuring 1/3 cup
1/4 cup of sliced pepperoncini or banana peppers, if desired
1 cup (4 ounces) of assorted olives, halved
1 cup (2 ounces) of grated parmesan cheese or any kind of hard cheese
1 cup (6 ounces) of chopped fresh mozzarella balls
1/3 cup of fresh parsley or basil, if desired
Homemade dressing
1/3 cup of either red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
0.5 teaspoon of fine sea salt, with the option to add more according to personal preference
0.5 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
0.5 teaspoons of dried oregano
Optional: 2 to 3 tablespoons of liquid from a jar of pepperoncini.
0.5 cups of extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions: 1. Heat a generous amount of water in a big saucepan and add salt. Cook the pasta until it is soft and easily chewable, which usually takes between 6 to 10 minutes. Refer to the packaging instructions for the required cooking time. Drain the substance and thoroughly rinse it with cold water.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing in the bottom of a spacious bowl. Combine the red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, pepperoncini juice (if desired), and olive oil and mix until well combined. Combine the pasta that has been drained and washed with the dressing and well blend.
Add the bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, scallions, pepperoncini (if desired), olives, parmesan, mozzarella, and herbs (if desired) to the mixture and stir. Sample the dish to evaluate the seasoning and make any necessary adjustments using salt and pepper. To get optimal results, it is recommended to chill the dish for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 5 days before serving.
Advice from Adam and Joanne
As time progresses, this improves continuously, so planning to do it a day ahead is an excellent suggestion!
Dietary information: The nutrition information given below is approximate. We have used the USDA information to compute approximate values.
Per serving, the nutritional information is as follows: Serving Size: 1/10 of the salad Calories: 363 Total Fat: 19.1g Saturated Fat: 5.1g Cholesterol: 18.3mg Sodium: 507.1mg Carbohydrate: 36.6g Dietary Fiber: 2.3g Total Sugars: 2g Protein: 11.7g
