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Mortadella Pasta Salad

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Ingredients
  

For the salad:

  • 1 lbs dried large short cut pasta - rigatoni, cavatappi, whatever the fun shape from the photo is called
  • 1 lbs fresh mozz - cow or buffalo
  • ½ lbs mortadella - thinly sliced
  • ⅔ cup pistachios - chopped
  • 1 cup basil leaves - torn

For the dressing:

  • 1 ½ cup Castelvetrano olives - about one small container
  • 2 lemons
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 ½ oz grated hard Italian cheese - Parm, Pecorino Romano, Toscano, Provolone
  • ⅔ cup EVOO
  • salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Boil noodles according to package directions in salted water. Drain and rinse under cold water to wash off the excess starch. Let cool.

Make the dressing:

  • Pit the olives and tear the flesh in half. Add to a large bowl.
  • Zest one whole lemon into the bowl. Cut both lemons in half and squeeze the juice over the olives.
  • Grate the garlic into the bowl. Add the grated cheese.
  • Pour in the EVOO, season with salt and pepper, and stir the dressing together.

Assemble the salad:

  • Tear the fresh mozz and mortadella into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl.
  • Add the cooled pasta and gently stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and lots of pepper.
  • Just before serving, add the chopped pistachios and torn basil leaves.
  • Serve cold or room temp.