Ingredients:

  • 400 g Dried Short Pasta (Rotini, Fusilli, or Farfalle)
  • 2 litres Water
  • 1 Tablespoon Coarse Sea Salt (for boiling)
  • 120 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 60 ml Red Wine Vinegar
  • 30 ml Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
  • 2 cloves Garlic, finely minced or grated
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • ½ teaspoon Granulated Sugar or Honey
  • ½ teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt (for dressing)
  • ¼ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 cup Salami or Pepperoni, diced into ¼-inch cubes
  • 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved or quartered
  • 1 large Cucumber, seeded and diced
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • ½ medium Red Onion, very thinly sliced
  • 1 cup Mozzarella Pearls (Bocconcini) or cubed Feta cheese, drained
  • ¼ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Bring the salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until perfectly al dente (usually 1–2 minutes less than the package directions). Drain the pasta immediately in a colander. Crucially: Rinse the hot pasta thoroughly under cold running water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch. Drain well.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk thoroughly. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuously whisking until the mixture emulsifies and thickens slightly.
  3. Dice all vegetables, meat, and cheese uniformly. In the large mixing bowl, combine the drained, cooled pasta and the thinly sliced red onion. Pour about two-thirds of the prepared vinaigrette over the pasta and onion mixture. Toss gently to coat.
  4. Add the diced salami/pepperoni, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and bell pepper to the pasta mixture. Pour in the remaining vinaigrette. Toss again until everything is evenly dressed. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for a minimum of 60 minutes, or ideally 2 hours.
  5. Just before serving, remove the salad from the fridge. Taste and adjust seasoning or moisture level if needed. Gently fold in the mozzarella pearls (or cubed feta) and the fresh parsley. Give it one final, careful toss and serve immediately.