Mediterranean Pasta Salad (GF)
- Joe S.
- May 4, 2021
- 5 min read
Learn how to make this delicious cold pasta salad with flavors from the Mediterranean!
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
Inactive time: 0 to 2 hours
Yields 6 cups
Gluten/Soy/Nuts Free
Discover a delicious pasta salad infused with the flavors of the Mediterranean. This is my newest creation!
This a very simple recipe that requires minimal cooking skills. It packs multiple layers of flavors and it is perfect for family dinners, social functions, or simply as a side dish or a snack. It can be made in advance and store refrigerated for up to 4 days.
I combined flavors from both Italy and Greece to create this recipe. Feel to add or omit ingredients to adjust this pasta salad to your desired preference. As always, when I create a new recipe I add a twist. The twist is an unexpected ingredient: apples! It adds a wonderful crunch texture while softening the tart flavors from the pickled ingredients. It also balances the saltiness associated with prosciutto.
If you are vegetarian, just omit the prosciutto.
What is the flavor profile?
It's a combination of tart, spicy, creamy, crunchy, sweet, herbaceous, and salty.
What ingredients will I need to make this?
Gluten free Rotini or Penne Rigate, prosciutto, mozzarella pearls of Feta Cheese, Greek Pepperocini, Greek Kalamate Olives, fresh parsley, fresh basil, a large yellow onion, red and yellow bell peppers, apples, cellulose-free Parmesan-Romano cheese, cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.
What else will I need to make this?
A large pot to cook the pasta in, a skillet to toast the prosciutto, a cutting board, a knife, measuring cups and spoons, a large mixing bowl, and a wooden spoon.
Can I make substitutions?
Yes.
You can use either Rotini or Penne Rigate, mozzarella cheese or feta cheese, Roma tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes, red wine vinegar instead of balsamic vinegar, and last but not least: you can use cold cut salami, Jamón Serrano, Pancetta, or Guanciale instead of prosciutto.
How can I make this salad Vegetarian?
Skip the prosciutto to make this a vegetarian dish.
What is prosciutto?
Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham that is usually thinly sliced and served uncooked; this style is called prosciutto crudo in Italian (or simply crudo) and is distinguished from cooked ham, prosciutto cotto.
A number of regions have their own variations of prosciutto, each with degrees of protected status, but the most prized are the Prosciutto di Parma PDO from the Emilia-Romagna region and the Prosciutto di San Daniele PDO from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. Unlike Italian Speck, based on the South Tyrol region and also known as Speck Alto Adige PGI, which is also a dry-cured ham, prosciutto is not smoked.
The names prosciutto and prosciutto crudo are generic, and not protected designations, and may name or describe a variety of hams more or less similar to Italian prosciutto crudo or other dry-cured hams worldwide.
What are Pepperocini?
Peperoncino or peperoncini is the generic Italian name for hot chili peppers, specifically some regional cultivars of the species Capsicum annuum and C. frutescens (cayenne pepper and Tabasco pepper, respectively). The sweet pepper is called peperone (plural peperoni) in Italian. Like most peppers, the fruit is green or yellowish-green when young, and ripens to a red color.
In the English-speaking world, peperoncini are usually pickled, comparatively mild – most often the variety known in Italy as friggitelli, a fairly sweet cultivar of C. annuum – and commonly used (whole, sliced, or chopped) as a condiment on sandwiches, in salads, and in Italian-style or other Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
What are Kalamata Olives?
The Kalamata olive is a large, dark purple olive with a smooth, meaty texture, named after the city of Kalamata in the southern Peloponnese, Greece. Often used as table olives, they are usually preserved in wine vinegar or olive oil.
Typically the term "Kalamata" legally refers to a region of Greece where these olives are grown, however a few countries (those mainly outside the United States and European Union) use the name for such olives grown anywhere, even outside of Greece. Within the EU (and other countries that ratified PDO agreements or similar type law) the name is protected with PDO status, which means in the EU the name can only be used for olives (and olive oil) from the Messinia region of Greece. Olives of the same variety grown elsewhere are marketed as Kalamon olives in the EU and, sometimes, elsewhere.
What is Balsamic Vinegar?
Balsamic vinegar is a very dark, concentrated, and intensely flavoured vinegar originating in Italy, made wholly or partially from grape must. Grape must is freshly crushed grape juice with all the skins, seeds and stems.
The term aceto balsamico is unregulated, but there are three protected balsamic vinegars: Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena), Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia DOP (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia), and Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP (Balsamic Vinegar of Modena).
The two traditional balsamic vinegars are made the same way from reduced grape must aged for several years in a series of wooden barrels, and are produced exclusively in either the province of Modena or Reggio Emilia. The names of these two vinegars are protected by the European Union's Protected Designation of Origin, while the usually less expensive Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (Aceto Balsamico di Modena) is made from grape must blended with wine vinegar, and produced exclusively in either Modena or Reggio Emilia, with a Protected Geographical Indication status.
Balsamic vinegar contains no balsam.
INGREDIENTS
12 ounces of Ronzoni Gluten Free Rotini
6 ounces of Del Luca Prosciutto, toasted
8 ounces of fresh Mozzarella Pearls
16 ounces of Sliced Golden Greek Pepperocini, drained
9.5 ounces of of sliced Greek Kalamata Olives, drained
1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
0.5 ounces of fresh basil, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 apples, chopped
1/4 cup of cellulose free Parmesa-Romano
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Method
Prepare the pasta as directed on the packaging. Cook the cooking time by 3 minutes to ensure the pasta is al dente. Drain, place in a large bowl, and set aside.
Add the mozzarella pearls, Pepperocini, Kalamata Olives, parsley, basil, red and yellow bell peppers, chopped onion, apples, tomatoes, Parmesano-Romano, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Gently mix all with a wooden spoon and set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat, toast the prosciutto until crispy. Remove from heat and chop. Add to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Just remember that some of the ingredients are already containing salt (mozzarella, prosciutto, and pickled products). So mind the amount of salt used.
You can serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow a better flavor profile.
Enjoy!!!
Printable recipe (pdf) below:
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