I make this at least once a month!
- 1 package farfalle pasta
- 1 cup kalamata olives pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup balsamic salad dressing
- 1 cup provolone cheese cubed
- 1 cup mozzarella cubed
- 1 cup salami cubed
- 1 cup pepperoni cubed
- 1/2 package spinach frozen and defrosted
- 1/2 package peas frozen and defrosted
- 1 can (12 oz) artichoke hearts drained and halved
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- Carbohydrate 11.3418800045094 g
- Cholesterol 191.331000030676 mg
- Fat 71.3616350078002 g
- Fiber 2.909950055407 g
- Protein 54.9659450124333 g
- Saturated Fat 31.0136390048721 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (320g)
- Sodium 3259.28575041624 mg
- Sugar 8.43192994910243 g
- Trans Fat 7.3182715004487 g
- Calories 905 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook pasta, then mix with all ingredients and refrigerate overnight before serving.
- If you don''t have one of the ingredients, then leave it out and it''s still great!
Balancing refrigerator space and ingredient hydration presents a structural puzzle when preparing large-scale pasta salads ahead of schedule. Farfalle pasta acts as a dense sponge, capable of absorbing significant amounts of moisture if not handled correctly. Undercooking the pasta by one or two minutes past al dente ensures the shapes retain structural integrity under refrigeration, preventing the starches from breaking down into a mushy consistency when mixed with acidic balsamic dressings and cured meats. Salting the boiling water generously until it tastes like seawater seasons the interior of the pasta starch properly before any dressing is introduced. Once the farfalle is drained, rinsing it briefly under cold running water halts the cooking process immediately and washes away surface starches that would otherwise clump the bowties together. Cubed provolone, mozzarella, salami, and pepperoni require uniform dimensions to distribute evenly across the wide surfaces of the farfalle. Cutting these mix-ins into half-inch dice ensures every forkful contains a balanced ratio of dairy fat, cured protein, and briny kalamata olives. Thawing the frozen spinach and peas completely before incorporation is mandatory; excess water released from improperly squeezed spinach will dilute the dressing and compromise the rich texture of the fats. Allowing the assembled mixture to rest in the refrigerator overnight permits the balsamic dressing to penetrate the porous centers of the pasta while cooling the dense proteins thoroughly. Pair this cold pasta dish with a simple green salad dressed in a bright lemon vinaigrette to cut through the high fat content and heavy sodium levels of the cured meats and cheeses.
