Casa M Pasta Salad

Pasta salads are super simple and always a crowd favorite for BBQs and back yard blowouts. This recipe became such a highly requested item, we now know to just make it for all the Hernandez get togethers as it's assumed it will be there. Experiment with the ingredients. If you're not a fan of cherry tomatoes, try Romas. If you don't like pepperoni, skip that or try another type of hard salami-like cured meat. The combinations here are endless.

Acidity makes pasta salads pop. Think back to your favorite ever pasta salad and it's the one that when you take the first bite, your salavary glands go into overdrive because the acidity is spot on and so are the seasonings to compliment both the vegetables in the salad, but also the pasta itself. You can either supplement the acidity of the dressing with the juices from the pepperoncinis if you use them or just add some apple cider vinegar. Both are guaranteed to get you to a point where your pasta salad is the standard for your friends and family and nothing else will do!

As always, from our table to yours... #SpiceConfidently #EssenceOfFlavor #ChemistryInTheKitchen #CasaMSpice

— Mike Hernandez

ingredients

For the Pasta Salad:

1 pound dry pasta (penne or farfalle)
12 ounces Italian salad dressing

Pulling It All Together:

12 ounce jar of roasted red pepper, drained, diced
4 ounces black olives, drained, sliced
8 ounce can of mushrooms, drained, sliced
14 ounce can of artichokes in brine, drained, quartered
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, washed, quartered
8 ounces fresh Mozzarella cheese balls, cherry sized, drained
4 ounces pepperoni stick, diced
4 ounces pepperoncini peppers, drained (reserve the liquid), diced
1 Tablespoon Casa M Spice Co® Chain Reaction®
1/2 Tablespoon Casa M Spice Co® Cattle Drive®

FEATURED QUOTE

- Mike Hernandez

LET’S GET COOKING

1.
Boil the pasta in salted water for the amount of time on the package to cook "al dente".
2.
While the pasta is cooking get a large mixing bowl ready.
3.
When the pasta is fully cooked (taste a piece to make sure it's cooked to your liking), remove from the heat and quickly drain it, then while the pasta is still piping hot, pour it into the waiting mixing bowl and cover it with the Italian salad dressing, then mix well to coat the pasta with the dressing. Let it cool and rest while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
4.
After the pasta has cooled, check the bottom of the bowl for dressing, if there is no dressing in the bottom, add more and mix again. You want just a little bit of standing dressing on the bottom of the mixing bowl before you add the remaining ingredients and then season to taste.
5.
Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix well, then season to taste with Casa M Spice Co® seasonings. After the seasoning is adjusted, if you want a little more acidity to make the dressing pop, add some of the reserved liquid from the pepperoncinis and mix it in.
6.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Mix well before serving while cold.