Italian Pasta, Zesty (Printer-Friendly Layout)

Bold, colorful pasta tossed with meats, veggies, mozzarella, and a punchy Italian dressing. Simple, tasty, and eye-catching.

# Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 450 g rotini pasta
02 - 100 g pepperoni, quartered
03 - 115 g salami, sliced and quartered
04 - 300 g cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 120 g black olives, drained and halved
06 - 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
07 - 1 green bell pepper, chopped
08 - 80 g red onion, finely diced
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini
10 - 225 g fresh mozzarella pearls
11 - Fresh grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
12 - Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

→ Homemade Italian Dressing

13 - 120 ml extra virgin olive oil
14 - 60 ml red wine vinegar
15 - 15 ml lemon juice
16 - 20 g finely grated Parmesan cheese
17 - 5 g sugar
18 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
19 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
20 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
21 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
22 - 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
23 - 0.5 teaspoon paprika
24 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - In a bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid, vigorously combine extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, finely grated Parmesan, sugar, dried parsley, basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and generous pinches of salt and black pepper. Whisk or shake until emulsified. Refrigerate while assembling the remaining elements to allow flavors to develop.
02 - Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add rotini pasta and cook until just al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain thoroughly without rinsing, ensuring all water is removed, and transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl while still warm.
03 - Pour half of the chilled Italian dressing over the warm pasta. Gently toss to ensure each spiral is evenly coated, allowing the pasta to absorb the bright, tangy flavors.
04 - Once the pasta is just warm, gently fold in pepperoni, salami, cherry tomatoes, black olives, chopped orange and green bell peppers, finely diced red onion, chopped pepperoncini, and mozzarella pearls. Stir until evenly distributed, taking care not to break up the mozzarella.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to meld. Before serving, toss with reserved dressing and garnish generously with fresh grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, serving chilled or at room temperature.

# Extra Tips and Tricks:

01 - For optimal results, reserve a portion of the dressing and add it just prior to serving to maintain brightness.
02 - Block mozzarella, cut into small cubes, may be substituted if mozzarella pearls are unavailable.
03 - Increase the quantity of chopped pepperoncini or incorporate a pinch of red pepper flakes for additional heat.
04 - Short pasta shapes such as bowtie or penne are suitable alternatives to rotini.

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