Ingredients

The following ingredients have 9 Servings
  • 16 oz dry penne or rotini pasta (I use DeLallo)
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
  • 1 English cucumber (diced, seeded (peeled or unpeeled))
  • ½ red pepper (finely chopped)
  • 2 cups  pitted Kalamata olives (drained)
  • 1 medium red onion (diced)
  • 1 cup pepperoncinis (chopped)
  • 8 oz  good quality feta cheese (crumbled)
  • Fresh basil (chopped)
  • Coarse ground black pepper
  • ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. fresh basil (finely chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 cloves of garlic (minced or pressed)
  • Pinch of sugar

Instruction

  • Cook pasta according to package directions (usually 1 minute less is perfect). Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, and drain again; set aside.
  •  In a large bowl, add tomatoes, cucumber, olives, onions, pepperoncinis, feta cheese, and fresh basil. Gently toss together and add the pasta.
  • For the dressing, place the red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper, fresh basil, lemon juice, garlic, and sugar in a jar with lid; shake well to mix.
  • Drizzle dressing over the salad; gently toss to coat. If you need to, add more olive oil. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight for the best flavor.
  • When ready to serve, toss the pasta salad again, garnish with fresh pepper and basil, and enjoy cold or at room temperature.