Fully Loaded Italian Deli Pasta Salad With Homemade Dressing

Ingredients

Steps

1. 1

   Pour 2000 g (about 2 qt) of water into a medium saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil.

2. 2

   Make the dressing: in a tall, narrow container, combine the rinsed red onion, garlic, 15 g red bell pepper, grainy mustard, red wine vinegar, 45 g white distilled vinegar, oregano, basil, chile flake, black pepper, sugar, and salt. Blend with an immersion blender until everything is completely broken down.

3. 3

   With the immersion blender running, slowly stream in the neutral oil, moving the blender up and down as the dressing thickens. Blend for about a minute, until it's opaque and fully emulsified.

4. 4

   Add 45 g salt to the boiling water, then add the rotini and stir. Bring it back to a rapid boil and cook 11 to 12 minutes, about 25% longer than the package says, until the pasta is fully tender and well past al dente.

5. 5

   Drain the pasta but don't rinse it. Move it to a bowl and, while it's still hot, gently fold in 25 g white distilled vinegar and 1-2 tsp olive oil. Let it cool to about room temperature.

6. 6

   While the pasta cools, prep the mix-ins: cut the olives into thirds, small-dice the bell pepper, chop the pepperoncini, dice the salami and fluff the pieces apart, cut the mozzarella into 1/4-inch cubes, and chop the sun-dried tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces.

7. 7

   Add the mix-ins, the grated Parmesan, and about half the dressing (roughly 150 g) to the cooled pasta. Fold gently with a spatula until evenly combined, taking care not to tear the tender pasta.

8. 8

   Taste and add more dressing if needed. Serve right away, or chill and serve topped with extra dressing and grated Parmesan.