Deluxe Muffuletta Salad

A delightful and flavorful salad inspired by the classic Muffuletta sandwich, featuring a medley of pasta, meats, cheeses, and olives tossed in a zesty dressing.

Ingredients

6	cups water
2 1⁄2	teaspoons salt
1	lb small shell pasta or any other small dry pasta
1⁄2	lb bulk salami, cut into ¼ inch dice
1	lb bulk provolone cheese, cut into ¼ inch dice
1⁄2	lb bulk mortadella, ham, cut into ¼ inch dice
1⁄2	lb bulk boiled ham, cut into ¼ inch dice
20	pitted jumbo black olives, sliced
20	large pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced
1⁄4	cup minced onion
1⁄2	cup celery, diced
1	cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1⁄4	cup fresh thyme leaves
1	cup extra virgin olive oil
6	tablespoons cider vinegar
1	teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1⁄2	teaspoon hot sauce (to taste)
1	tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1	teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

• 1. In a large saucepan, combine water and 2 ½ teaspoons of salt. Bring to a vigorous boil over high heat.
  2. Add the small shell pasta or any other small dry pasta to the boiling water. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until the pasta is tender, which should take about 6-8 minutes.
  3. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat and drain the pasta.
  4. Rinse the drained pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process, then drain it again thoroughly.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta with diced salami, provolone cheese, mortadella, boiled ham, black olives, green olives, minced onion, diced celery, chopped parsley, and fresh thyme leaves.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk together cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, minced garlic, freshly ground pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
  7. Gradually whisk in the extra virgin olive oil to the vinegar mixture to create the dressing.
  8. Pour the prepared dressing over the salad mixture and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Toss the salad gently to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.
  9. For optimal flavors, store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a minimum of eight hours before serving.

Jul 19, 2024