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italian pasta salad
Like most pasta salads, this one tastes best the day after it's made, though you can dig in after an hour or so and it'll still be good. Get good quality Italian salami and real fresh mozzarella (the kind that comes in liquid, as opposed to the stringy shrink-wrapped sort).

ingredients
1 lb. rotini
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
½ a large red onion
2 big fresh mozzarella balls, drained
6 oz. chunk of salami
a dozen or so kalamata olives
1/3 cup (packed) or so fresh basil leaves
¼ cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano

honeyed vinaigrette
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1½ Tbsp. honey
3/4 tsp. salt

more salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

time 20-30 minutes
serves 6 as a main, 12+ as a side

1 Cook up the pasta according to the directions on the box, until al dente. Drain in a colander, then swish the pasta around under cold running water until it feels cool. Shake out the excess water as best you can.
2 While the pasta's cooking, combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl, or better yet, a jar with a screw cap. Set aside.
3 Cut the salami into ¼"-1/3" chunks. Do the same with the bell peppers and the cheese. Chop the onion fairly finely. Pit the kalamata olives by squashing each olive with the flat side of a big knife, and rolling the olive around underneath until the pit comes loose. Slice longitudinally into quarters. Slide all the chopped ingredients into a big mixing bowl, then tear up the basil leaves and drop them in. Mix it up.
4 Add the cooled cooked pasta to the mixing bowl and stir it all up. Stir or shake your dressing until it's well combined. Now pour the dressing over the pasta and other goodies, until the ingredients are well coated (this should be about equal to the amount of dressing you've made, but use your discretion). Stir in the grated parmesan and taste; add more salt and pepper to suit your tastebuds.
5 Refrigerate the salad for at least an hour or preferably overnight to let the flavors meld. Serve at room temperature.

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