Antipasto Pasta Salad
Amazing pasta salad that is always a huge hit! Has a little kick to it and it is really delicious. I am always asked for the recipe.
Amazing pasta salad that is always a huge hit! Has a little kick to it and it is really delicious. I am always asked for the recipe.
- Carbohydrate 33.6189321860173 g
- Cholesterol 63.663200013672 mg
- Fat 31.6947334097577 g
- Fiber 4.78119838561614 g
- Protein 19.0115994358973 g
- Saturated Fat 7.24967955791569 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (418g)
- Sodium 573.779140436386 mg
- Sugar 28.8377338004012 g
- Trans Fat 2.90853174835624 g
- Calories 485 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.
- In a large bowl, stir together oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper.
- Toss with warm pasta to coat well.
- Toss with parmesan.
- Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.
- Add broccoli, pepperoni and tomatoes; toss well.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and serve.
Unlike a warm primavera tossed right before eating, this chilled pasta dish relies on a specific resting phase to absorb its oil and vinegar dressing. Tossing the rotini while it remains warm allows the starches on the surface of the pasta to bond with the dressing rather than repelling it. Adjusting the yield for a smaller gathering requires halving the oil and vinegar precisely, maintaining the two-to-one ratio of fat to acid so the noodles do not dry out during the three-hour refrigeration window.
Judging Pasta Doneness Without a Thermometer
Boil the tri-color rotini in heavily salted water without a lid, testing a single piece exactly two minutes before the package minimum. Roll that piece against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon; if the exterior yields completely but the very center offers slight resistance to the tooth, the pasta has reached the al dente stage. Draining immediately halts the cooking process, preventing the starches from swelling past the point where they can hold the shredded parmesan and emulsified dressing.
Dietary Adaptations and Additions
Transforming this dish into a vegetarian option requires swapping the cured meat for roasted artichoke hearts or marinated white beans using a one-to-one volume substitution. Shredding block mozzarella by hand rather than buying pre-bagged varieties eliminates anti-caking cellulose powders, ensuring the cheese melts smoothly into the crevices of the broccoli florets and halved cherry tomatoes during the final toss.
