The last month has brought some truly great recipes into my kitchen. There were Frozen Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookie Sandwiches, which were part of the recent Food ‘n Flix Pan’s Labyrinth Round-Up, Garlicy Asiago Cauliflower Rice which has quickly become one of my new favorite side dishes, and of course I fell head over heels in love with my February #BundtBakers Roasted Balsamic Cherry Chocolate Cake, which was recently featured by Ghirardelli on Instagram. However, none of these recipes captured my heart anywhere near as much as the Muffuletta Pasta Salad, I made to share with friends at an Oscar/Mardi Gras gathering.
I’m not sure why I loved this First Friday Favorites pasta salad quite so much, however, I can tell you that I will be making this enough-to-feed-a-small-army recipe again. B.O.B. Bob and I practically lived off of it for an entire week without any complaints, and when it was finally gone, I have to admit there was a little bit of sadness. As of now, my plan is to make this once again for this year’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt for Money. I think it will be a great side dish to serve alongside many different types of baked and unbaked mini slider sandwiches. This year my goal is to keep it simple and to make it tasty. Now all I have to do is settle on a date and send out the invite.
You can find the original recipe for this meat, cheese, and olive packed pasta dish HERE. Also, don’t forget that you can find other Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck past recipes by browsing through our Table of Contents.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
- 1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Water
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 Pound Pasta (Ditalini Rigati)
- 1 (8-oz.) Honey Cured Boneless Hamsteak, Diced
- 2 (1/4-inch) Slices Deli Provolone, Diced
- 3 (1/4-inch) Slices Deli Genoa Salami, Diced
- 5 Scallions, Diced (Green Parts Only)
- 4 Celery Stalks, Diced
- 1 Large Carrot, Diced
- 1 Cup Sliced Green Olives Stuffed with Pimentos
- 1 (2.25-oz.) Can Sliced Black Olives, Drained & Finely Chopped
Directions:
- Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, basil, hot sauce, pepper, and salt; set aside.
- Fill a large pasta pot with cold water and sea salt. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, add the pasta, stir, and then cook according to the package instructions.
- Drain the pasta into a colander and rinse it under cold water for three minutes. Drain well and add to a large bowl.
- Pour the olive oil and herb mixture over the pasta; stir to combine.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pasta; stir to combine.
What recipe did you make last month that surprised, delighted and blew you away with how good it was; not the recipe with the most views, but your own personal favorite? Please link only recipes that are new to you and that you personally made over the past month. Add your recipe link below and feel free to visit other great First Monday Favorites.
